• The three favorite aerial travellers. Vincent Lunardi Esqr. first aeronaut in England, George Biggin Esqr. and Mrs. Sage first English female aerial traveller

Signed below image: ‘Rigaud pinxit ; F. Bartolozzi sculp.’

Vincent Lunardi standing waving his hat in the air, George Biggin looking at an altometer, and Letitia Ann Sage gesturing with her arms outstretched in the gondola of an ascending balloon (Lunardi's new balloon ‘Favorite’).

From an original painting by John Francis Rigaud (18 May 1742 – 6 December 1810) at the Yale Center for British Art.

This is the second state of this plate, which was originally issued as V. Lunardi Esq. Mrs Sage G. Biggin Esqr., and published by Marino Bovi, London, 13 May 1785 (see Soutron no. ). The print purports to record Lunardi's third ascent of 29 June 1785, although the publication line shows that it preceded the event. In reality, the weight of Mrs Sage and two other passengers, George Biggin and Colonel Hastings, prevented the balloon from rising. Lunardi and Hastings stayed behind, and Mrs Sage and Biggin actually made the ascent. Mrs Sage later published a book on her experience, while Biggin became a regular companion of Lunardi's (British Museum -- Collection Online)