The Female Blondin walking on a rope from Battersea to Cremorne Gardens
Drawing by Walter Greaves, depicting the Female Blondin walking on a rope from Battersea to Cremorne Gardens. 1861.
This is a black and white drawing depicting a scene of the historical event Female Blondin crossing the River Thames on a tightrope. The scene is bustling with activity, with spectators filling both the viewing platforms on land and on the multitude of boats of all sizes that are spread along the river. The central focus is figure walking on a tightrope stretched across the river.
There are several inscriptions in different areas of the work. The signature of the artist is located at the bottom light corner, there is a sign that reads "ALEXANDER / BOATS TO LET", and the title of the drawing in located in the bottom of the paper.
Pauline Violante (Selina Young, b. c.1840)
Known as the “Female Blondin,” Pauline Violante was a celebrated 19th-century tightrope walker. In 1861, she famously crossed the River Thames from Battersea Bridge to Cremorne Gardens on a high wire, watched by over 20,000 spectators. Performing under various names including “Madame Blondin,” she was the first woman to walk a high wire across the Thames and also danced on the wire at venues like the Crystal Palace and Highbury Barn. Her career ended after a serious fall in 1862, which left her permanently injured. Violante’s daring performances helped popularise female acrobatics and inspired imitators across Britain.
Artist Biography
Walter Greaves (1846–1930) Painter, etcher, and topographical draftsman, Greaves was born in Chelsea, London, where his father had been J.M.W. Turner’s boatman. He became a close associate of James McNeill Whistler, serving as his assistant and companion on Thames excursions. Though later side-lined by Whistler’s circle, Greaves continued to paint evocative scenes of London. His work was rediscovered in the early 20th century, though he spent his final years in poverty.
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