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Juliette and Barnod Aranovski first arrived in London in 1853. The pair started off performing magic tricks in the pubs around Spitalfields. They mostly performed card tricks and up-close illusions but before long they had garnered a reputation for impressive sleight of hand and a repertoire that was both original and humorous. At the time, the majority of acts would go from pub to pub performing the same rudimentary tricks, the mechanics of which were known to the regulars and fans of the trade. But the Aranovskis had developed an act that managed to play with the assumptions of their audience – leading them on to what they thought was an inevitable conclusion before a surprise reveal, such as Barnod pulling a card from out of his mouth, that no one expected.

Soon they had become a regular act at the newly built Alhambra theatre in Leicester Square, where they entertained packed houses with their pioneering magic show. They developed illusions that were decades ahead of their time. Many of the standards of modern day illusions, such as the sawing in half of a woman in a box, or levitation, were first practised by the Aranovskis. Juliette would do all the talking to the audience, while Barnod would perform the technical aspects of the pieces. One of their most famous tricks was the Dead Cat, where Juliette would present a normal looking black cat, and take it round the audience to show off its authenticity. Barnod would then take a hammer and appear to batter the cat to death. Barnod would then bring the cat back to life by playing a continuous C# on the French horn. Their show was described by the Times in 1855 as a 'spellbinding triumph. This wondrous duo push the envelope in terms of what can be conceived of and achieved on stage with their unique magical abilities and charming on stage personas'.

Not much was ever known about the personal life of the Aranovskis. Juliette spoke with a regional accent that was impossible to place and Barnod never spoke in public. It was assumed that the two enjoyed the air of mystery that they created around themselves and cultivated it so as to enhance the mystique of their shows. They were known to be regular guests at Buckingham Palace, and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert would often make trips to the Alhambra whenever the Aranovskis had a new set to perform. It is believed that Prince Albert was so fascinated by Barnod’s abilities that he offered to sponsor Barnod for a research position at the Royal Society, a position that Barnod turned down due to his desire to concentrate fully on the show. The pair were rarely seen on the streets of London and when they were they would be mobbed by the public, desperate to see a new trick or hear how a trick was done. To the former request, they were happy to oblige, but they never told a single soul how their tricks were executed, nor did they record their techniques down on paper, so many of their methods are still unknown.

The Aranovskis enjoyed fame and success for over fifteen years, but, inevitably, the ideas started to dry up and younger, more innovative acts began to emerge. These young illusionists no doubt had a great debt towards the Aranovskis in terms of what it was possible to do with on stage magic and showmanship, but they rarely acknowledged this. As the audiences waned, the Aranovskis decided to put on one last show that would include all their greatest hits and culminate in the Great Disembodiment, where Barnod took himself apart limb by limb, piece by piece, only to be re-assembled by Juliette. It was an incredible illusion, one that was considered unsurpassable at the time, but still it was not enough to halt their inevitable decline.

With their act finished, the Aranovskis descended into poverty. Their desire not to move in the great social circles of the day meant that their few rich and powerful friends soon disappeared and, with no other source of income, they lived by the barest means possible. In one bizarre move, Juliette and Barnod posed naked in a series of photos, but this early attempt at sensationalism was largely ignored. Juliette died in 1876 from tuberculosis. It is not known what happened to Barnod, but it's thought that the grief over Juliette's death broke him to pieces and that he died soon after.

Below are the only two pictures that still survive of the Aranovskis. First is the pair posing for their Dead Cat illusion, and second is a picture from the series of nude shots taken c.1875.