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Fat Lady Collection

In the bustling streets of Limehouse, London, in 1927, Mrs. Smith was known for her eccentricities and unique wake-up call

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Mrs. Smith wakens the dockers of Limehouse, London, with her peashooter in 1927 TopFoto

Mrs. Smith wakens the dockers of Limehouse, London, with her peashooter in 1927 TopFoto
Mrs. Smith wakens the dockers of Limehouse, London, with her peashooter in 1927 © TopFoto

Background imageFat Lady Collection: FAT LADY, 19th CENTURY. Hannah Battersby, a 700-lb. American circus fat lady. Photograph

FAT LADY, 19th CENTURY. Hannah Battersby, a 700-lb. American circus fat lady. Photograph, 19th century

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Madame la Menagere, Etaples (w/c on paper)

Madame la Menagere, Etaples (w/c on paper)
BAL33048 Madame la Menagere, Etaples (w/c on paper) by Hankey, William Lee (1869-1952); 32.7x22.8 cm; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK; (add.info.: by William Lee Hankey)

Background imageFat Lady Collection: A Little Tighter (coloured engraving)

A Little Tighter (coloured engraving)
668599 A Little Tighter (coloured engraving) by Rowlandson, Thomas (1756-1827) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Little Tighter)

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Inconveniences of a Crowded Drawing Room, pub. 1835 (hand coloured etching)

Inconveniences of a Crowded Drawing Room, pub. 1835 (hand coloured etching)
2494150 Inconveniences of a Crowded Drawing Room, pub. 1835 (hand coloured etching) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Monstrosities of 1825 & 6, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving)

Monstrosities of 1825 & 6, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving)
2636980 Monstrosities of 1825 & 6, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Monstrosities of 1825 & 6, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving)

Monstrosities of 1825 & 6, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving)
2958381 Monstrosities of 1825 & 6, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Monstrosities of 1827, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving)

Monstrosities of 1827, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving)
2958375 Monstrosities of 1827, pub. 1835 (hand coloured engraving) by Cruikshank, Isaac Robert (1789-1856); Private Collection; (add.info.: General Edward Pakenham (1778 - 1815)

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Odds & Ends, In, Out, and About, The Great Exhibition of 1851, pub. 1851 (engraving)

Odds & Ends, In, Out, and About, The Great Exhibition of 1851, pub. 1851 (engraving)
2655416 Odds & Ends, In, Out, and About, The Great Exhibition of 1851, pub. 1851 (engraving) by Cruikshank, George (1792-1878); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Clara: A Bravura, 1802 (coloured engraving)

Clara: A Bravura, 1802 (coloured engraving)
DEC418512 Clara: A Bravura, 1802 (coloured engraving) by English School, (19th century); 35.7x23.9 cm; Gerald Coke Handel Collection, Foundling Museum

Background imageFat Lady Collection: Inconveniences of a Crowded Drawing Room, 1835

Inconveniences of a Crowded Drawing Room, 1835
Inconveniences of a Crowded Drawing Room, pub. 1835 (hand coloured etching)

Background imageFat Lady Collection: FAT LADY & THIN MAN. John (born 1832) and Hannah Battersby an American circus thin man

FAT LADY & THIN MAN. John (born 1832) and Hannah Battersby an American circus thin man and fat lady. Cabinet photograph, 19th century

Background imageFat Lady Collection: SIDESHOW POSTER, 1941. Poster for Ruth the Acrobat in the sideshow at the Vermont

SIDESHOW POSTER, 1941. Poster for Ruth the Acrobat in the sideshow at the Vermont State Fair in Rutland, Vermont. Photograph by Jack Delano, 1941


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In the bustling streets of Limehouse, London, in 1927, Mrs. Smith was known for her eccentricities and unique wake-up call. Armed with nothing but a peashooter, she would rouse the dockers from their slumber each morning with precision and accuracy. Meanwhile, across the English Channel in Etaples, Madame la Menagere captivated onlookers with her larger-than-life presence. A watercolor painting on paper immortalized her commanding figure as she effortlessly commanded attention wherever she went. The challenges of living in a crowded drawing room were humorously depicted in an engraving from 1835. The scene captured the inconveniences faced by individuals squeezed into tight spaces, highlighting how even the simplest tasks became arduous endeavors. Monstrosities took center stage in another hand-colored engraving from 1825 & 6. These peculiar figures defied societal norms and fascinated audiences with their extraordinary physiques that both shocked and intrigued. Fast forward to 1851 at The Great Exhibition when oddities abounded amidst technological marvels. "Odds & Ends" showcased curiosities that piqued visitors' curiosity while Clara's bravura performance left spectators awestruck through a colored engraving dating back to 1802. Traveling overseas to Colombia's Cartagena De Indias stood Fernando Botero's iconic sculpture depicting a voluptuous woman known as "Colombia. " This masterpiece celebrated beauty beyond conventional standards and embraced diversity through its exaggerated proportions. Not limited to art alone, the world of circus entertainment also had its share of captivating characters like John and Hannah Battersby – famously known as the Fat Lady & Thin Man duo. Born in America during the mid-19th century, they mesmerized audiences worldwide with their contrasting physiques that defied expectations. From historical engravings capturing society's fascination with unconventional bodies to contemporary sculptures challenging traditional notions of beauty, the concept of the "fat lady" has evolved throughout time.