Poster advertising Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows
date: label: Date made
content: 1923
name: label: referenced
content: Ringling Brothers
label: referenced
content: Barnum, P. T.
label: referenced
content: Bailey, J. A.
label: maker
content: Strobridge Lithograph Co.
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: Poster advertising the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey combined shows featuring performing elephants. The color lithograph depicts 10 elephants in foreground in pyramid formation, some crouched, some standing, a woman in sleeveless pink ballerina-length dress, standing on back of an elephant on right, several more elephants on hind legs in conga line in rear of the circus ring in background, and the ringmaster with whip, red jacket, and white jodhpurs in front center. Paper adhered to linen backing. 32 half-inch grommets around the edges.
label: Description (Brief)
content: In the late 1800s, debates erupted over whether the United States, like its European rivals, should establish and exploit foreign colonies. Meanwhile, circuses crisscrossed the country, tantalizing audiences with performances by the inhabitants of such lands—from elephants and other subdued wild animals to acrobatic troupes. Audiences thrilled at the exotic spectacles that served the world up on a platter—and seemed ripe for the taking.
place: label: place made
content: United States: Ohio, Cincinnati
topic: label: depicted
content: Circus
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
label: See more items in
content: Popular Entertainment
label: See more items in
content: Circus Collection
label: Exhibition
content: Entertainment Nation
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Ray F. Newman
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1979.1137.03
label: accession number
content: 1979.1137
label: catalog number
content: 1979.1137.03
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Poster
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: ink (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: linen (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 109 in x 238 in; 276.86 cm x 604.52 cm