3-056-208 - The London Archives (City of London)/Heritage Images

The Leopard Boy! in Farini's Gallery, 1881. 'On View Continuously, Day and Evening. Spotted black, white and yellow from head to foot'. Child with some sort of skin condition, 'performing' in Farini's World of Wonders Gallery at the Royal Aquarium in London. Showmanship was a hard business. People and animals with unusual characteristics were ruthlessly exploited and there was little care for them once they lost their popularity with the audience.