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Circus!

Circus performers, shows, posters and lithographs.
Modern travelling circus started in the early 1800s. Circus advertising used to draw crowds - there were only one or two performances per circus stop. Many ads were simple woodblock prints mentioning the name of the circus, the price of admission. Later, in the early 20th century, colorful, fanciful custom designs of leaping animals, clowns, and ringmasters became standard for circus posters.
[Female acrobats on trapezes at circus]
226 Media in collection ∙ page 1 of 3

Danse aristocrate Il ne sçait sur quel pied danser.

Print shows Abbé Maury walking a tightrope, attended by the devil disguised as a jester, as nobles encourage him from the left, and on the right, a man and woman, representing members of the Third Estate, attem... more

Gaikokujin Yokohama ni oite kyōkuba

Japanese triptych print shows a foreign circus performing in Yokohama, Japan.

P.T. Barnum's greatest show on earth, and great London circus, Sanger's Royal British menagerie & grand international allied shows

Circus poster showing Wm. H. Batcheller, "The champion leaper" jumping through a hoop over an elephant; also shows head-and-shoulder portrait of Batcheller, facing left, on easel in lower right corner.

Cirque dʹhiver ... Tous les soirs,à 8 heures / Stafford & Co., Nottingham.

French circus poster shows an aerialist floating with arms outstretched above a city skyline with a balloon in the background.

Descente d'Absalon par Miss Stena

Circus poster shows a group of aerialists performing. Two women are held aloft by a balloon attached to their hair. The portrait on the center balloon is possibly Miss Stena.

Eden-concert, enl'vez l'ballon revue de m.m. Hermil & Numès, 17 boulevard Sébastopol, musique nouvelle de Tar-Caen / / Ch. Levy.

French circus poster shows two performers in the basket of an airship navigated by a rudder and a propeller. The basket bears the date 1884.

Mon motocycle est chez Lucien Adenot, au Grand Garage du Cirque Médrano / / Grün.

Circus poster showing a woman wearing masculine outer garments and monocle.

Don Quichotte, bouffonnerie équestre: Nouveau cirque, 251 rue St. Honoré / / L. Lefèvre, '92.

Circus poster for an equestrian performance showing Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.

Night

Photograph shows a nude woman standing on a crescent moon, holding, horizontally, a bamboo pole with an owl perched on each end.

The Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth--The celebrated ponies "Jupiter" & "Joie" ...

Poster showing two ponies, one with rider, jumping over an obstacle.

The great Wallace shows: colossal 3 ring circus, 2 elevated stages

Poster shows the portraits of B. E. Wallace, Mlle. Norada French, and Mlle. French's circus act.

The great Wallace s[hows] : colossal 3 ring circus, 2 elevate[d stages]

Poster shows an all-female corps de ballet. In upper left corner, portrait of B.E. Wallace.

Barnum & Bailey greatest show on earth Daring and dangerous equestrian act ...

Poster showing a horse leaping through a flaming hoop.

[T]he [gr]eat Wallace shows : [c]olossal 3 ring circus, 2 elevated stages

Poster shows circus performers posing as statues depicting historical or mythical events: Apollo and the Muses; The Triumph of Love; Landing of Columbus; Rock of Ages; and Offering to Cupid.

Die Barnum & Bailey Groesste Schaustellung der Welt--Lustige Szenen auf Bicycles und Rollschuhen

Poster showing performers in street attire clowning with bicycles and rollerskates.

Die Barnum & Bailey groesste schaustellung der welt Der welt grösstes, grossartigstes, bestes amusements-institut.

Men in military uniforms standing while bareback riding on horses (as many as three horses per rider) racing around a track and jumping hurdles.

The great Arm & Hammer brand soda. Church & Co., New York

Advertisement for Arm & Hammer soda, showing a clown, and an acrobat on a horse.

The annual invasion / Ehrhart.

Illustration shows actors and characters (some in cages), acrobats, and theater props being unloaded from a ship into a dock-side warehouse.

Al. G. Field Greater Minstrels oldest 23rd year, best.

Includes portraits of Hamilton Alvin and Jack Alvin.

Gentry Bros. circus Miss Louise Hilton, the greatest rider the world has ever known / / National Ptg & Eng. Co., Chicago, New York & St. Louis.

Circus poster showing Louise Hilton perched on a white horse, about to leap over a scarf held by a clown and a ringmaster.

Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus parade

Elephants walk east along 4th Avenue South in Lethbridge, part of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus parade. ..Circa 1930s ..To obtain high quality and larger reproductions of this image ple... more

Gala puppet circus Clowns, cowboys, acrobats, animals, and novelty acts.

Poster for Federal Theatre Project presentation of a puppet circus, showing head of a clown.

Youth circus acrobats practicing - Tallahassee

Persistent URL: floridamemory.com/items/show/262402 ( http://floridamemory.com/items/show/262402 ) ..Local call number: TD00660..Title: Youth circus acrobats practicing - Tallahassee..Date: June 9, 1959..Physic... more

Karl Wallenda in Sarasota, Florida

Persistent URL: floridamemory.com/items/show/245024 ( http://floridamemory.com/items/show/245024 ) ..Local call number: JJS0046..Title: Karl Wallenda in Sarasota, Florida..Date: 1960s..Physical descrip: 1 trans... more

The Flying Wallendas in Sarasota, Florida

Persistent URL: floridamemory.com/items/show/245051 ( http://floridamemory.com/items/show/245051 ) ..Local call number: JJS0047..Title: The Flying Wallendas in Sarasota, Florida..Date: 1960s..General note: Left... more

The Flying Wallendas: Sarasota, Florida

Local call number: JJS2141..Title: The Flying Wallendas: Sarasota, Florida..Date: ca. 1965..General note: L-R: Carla Wallenda, Karl Wallenda, Raymond Chitty, and Richard Guzman (Carla's husband). The Great Wall... more

The Flying Wallendas in Sarasota, Florida

Persistent URL: floridamemory.com/items/show/245050 ( http://floridamemory.com/items/show/245050 ) ..Local call number: JJS0048..Title: The Flying Wallendas in Sarasota, Florida..Date: 1960s..General note: Left... more

The Flying Wallendas in Sarasota, Florida

Persistent URL: floridamemory.com/items/show/252682 ( http://floridamemory.com/items/show/252682 ) ..Local call number: JJS1932..Title: The Flying Wallendas in Sarasota, Florida..Date: 1960s..General note: Left... more

The Barnum and Bailey greatest show on earth--The Mahdi or for the Victoria Cross--Scene 3d--War in the Soudan ...

Circus poster showing recreation of battle scene between British soldiers and Mahdists in Sudan.

The Barnum and Bailey greatest show on earth--The Mahdi or for the Victoria Cross--Scene 3d--War in the Soudan ...

Circus poster showing recreation of battle scene between British soldiers and Mahdists in Sudan.

John Robinson's $25,000 challenge feature--Louis Cyr, strongest man on earth, lifts 4300 lbs.

Poster showing Louis Cyr, full-length portrait, standing, facing front, holding bar.

John Robinson's $25,000 challenge feature--Louis Cyr, strongest man on earth, lifts 4300 lbs.

Poster showing Louis Cyr, full-length portrait, standing, facing front, holding bar.

John Robinson's $25,000 challenge feature--Louis Cyr, strongest man on earth, lifts 4300 lbs.

Poster showing Louis Cyr, full-length portrait, standing, facing front, holding bar.

Buffalo Bill's wild west and congress of rough riders of the world. A squad of genuine Cuban insurgents, ...

Circus poster showing battle between Buffalo Bill's congress of rough riders and Cuban insurgents.

Buffalo Bill's wild west and congress of rough riders of the world

Circus poster showing cowboys rounding up cattle and portrait of Col. W.F. Cody on horseback.

Buffalo Bill's wild west and congress of rough riders of the world

Circus poster showing cowboys rounding up cattle and portrait of Col. W.F. Cody on horseback.

Shōkonsha keidai Furansu ōkyokuba [no] zu

Japanese triptych print shows circus at Yasukuni Jinja, originally called Shokonsha, Tokyo, Japan, with acrobats, trapeze artists, and horseback stunt riders.

Shōkonsha keidai Furansu ōkyokuba [no] zu

Japanese triptych print shows circus at Yasukuni Jinja, originally called Shokonsha, Tokyo, Japan, with acrobats, trapeze artists, and horseback stunt riders.

Shōkonsha keidai Furansu ōkyokuba [no] zu

Japanese triptych print shows circus at Yasukuni Jinja, originally called Shokonsha, Tokyo, Japan, with acrobats, trapeze artists, and horseback stunt riders.