Manuel Immanuel was thought to have been born around 1758. He may have been the son of a painter and illustrator of manuscripts of the same name in London. He was an immensely talented artist, and also designed scenery and interior designs of theatres. He used transparencies and lamps to illustrate his work, often illustrating full size animals such as elephants. In 1805 The New Street Theatre on Red Lion Street in Boston was built to house Robertson’s Touring Company. When it was completed in January 1806, it could accommodate 1,079 people. It was reported that the interior decorations from ‘the Masterly pencil of Mr Immanuel, evince a taste and genius, which add to the reputation he already acquired as an artist’. Whilst in Boston he joined the local Lodge of Freemasons. In 1809, there were many celebrations to commemorate King George III, who had acceded to the throne nearly fifty years before. At St Ives in Cambridgeshire, Mr Immanuel, who was at that time living in Bedford, painted a large transparency and was given huge acclaim for his work. At was noted that he had recently produced a similar piece in Huntingdon.