The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-24
ON CIRCUS WAGONS.
A Distinctive and Costly Branch of
Artistic Work.
(From the New York Sun

Nobody who isn't in the circus business
can appreciate the value in an advertising
way of spectacular pictorial effects. Any
circus which attempted to make the main
| round of cities nowadays with the parade
outfits Of few years ago would last about
two weeks at the outside. before going
broke. People would judge it by its pa
rade and seeing that the animal wagons
and band chariots weren't uf to the mark
would infer that the entire show was in
ferior in which inference they would
probably be perfectly correct. So keen is
competition now and to such a point of
practical discernment has the public been
educated that the big shows spend an
amount of money on ornamentation alone
that would make the ordinary business
man gasp and denounce them as prodigaily
wasteful. There is one chariot Low on
the road that actually cost close to 10000
when it was new and 1t involves large
outlay every year to keep i. frightened
up with gold leaf and repairs of weather
wear.
On the inside these vehicles are strictly
and rigidly economical. Not foot of space
Is wasted Most of the wagons are full Of
paraphernalia marvelously packed by ex-
perts in that line. Nothing can be learned
from the exterior Of the vehicle regarding
it's interior. The magnificent blue and
gold chariot, worthy Of the royalest of
Bengal tigers, carries the layout of the
ticket seller, while the wagon which limns
forth on its gay sides the likeness of the
ferocious rhnoceros is probably the hab
itat of the wardrobe woman and her outfit.
Other magnificent equipages of the wheeled
procession carry apparatus, clothing, trap
pings. and fodder for tho animals.
Most of the animals themselves are left
behind when the show goes on parade, ex-
cept those that march. such as the ele-
plants and camels. and few Of the big
felines. taken along to roar enticingly.
There have been cases where haste and
confusion on the part OF the showmen in
preparing the parade have resulted in the
unmistakable roar OF the king of beasts
being heard from wagon on whose panels
coled the mighty but comparatively voice
less boa constructor. to the vast amaze
ment of the gathered public.
Painting circus wagon panels is dis
tinct branch Of art. Probably the aca-
denies would not so regard 1t. but never
thelesS there Is a certain breadth OF treat
ment and dash required that are quite
beyond the abilities of the ordinary prac-
titioner of art. Nor are the pictured sides
OF the circus vans to be lightly regarded
by any right-thinking observer. Once they
were in the chrome class, or somewhat
lower, but now they represent some very
good if rather hasty work. The most sue
cessful painter of this line of work In
the country is an artist of high abilities
and reputation in large Western city.
His reputation has been made as por-
trait painter, and 1t would doubtless be
distinct detriment to his career were 1t
known that he paints circus wagons, but
paint them he does and what is more he
delights in the work. This artist has
always had a fancy that his real forte lay
in landscape work with a sprinking of
animals. That the public and the critics
have always insisted on differing with him
has been a grief TO him. However as he
could earn a considerable income by his
portraits he felt able to spend his spare
time in painting animal and woodland
scenes which nobody would buy. Then
he got into the circus painting business
and not only was his ambition satisfied
but his income was largely augmented.
How it came about that this artist was
induced to go into this line Of work prob
ably nobody but he and the Snowman who