History of Animal Circus Posters
Circuses were all the rage from the late 18th Century, well into the middle 20th Century. While amazing human acts were one component of modern circuses, animals oftentimes stole the show with their antics. Because of this, circus companies would promote their animals with bright, robust posters in cities all across America to announce the circus was coming to town.
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Getting the Word Out
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Before such contemporary entertainment mediums as movies, television and musical concerts became commonplace, circus shows were a large amusement staple for Americans for nearly two centuries. The circus companies--which included Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey, Gibson & Co. and Hagenbeck-Wallace--employed people known as advance men. With paste and brushes in hand, these employees would put up posters several weeks prior to a show in prominent areas, usually within a 50-mile radius of the circus site.
Primary Advertising Source
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The heyday of the circus was before radio, television and the Internet, so circus companies used posters to promote their imminent arrival. Posters generally would include graphics and information on each company's unique features, including the variety of animals. In addition to the glitzy images, posters had to clearly indicate when and where the circus was going to be so townspeople could plan accordingly.
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Types of Animals Featured
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The types of animals featured in each company's circus performances varied, and this was used as a distinguishing feature in poster advertisements. For example, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus company for several years featured an attraction--an elephant named Mrs. Jumbo, along with her baby elephant. Other companies, such as Forepaugh & Sells Bros., were known for their trained seals, while Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey had trained lions and tigers.
Early Production Methods
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With full-range circuses--complete with human high-wire acts and amazing animal feats--up and running throughout America by the early 19th Century, promotional posters began to appear. Initially, circus companies used the more primitive, albeit expensive, method of mahogany wood blocks to produce posters. Rag paper and oil-based inks were used to design promotional materials on the blocks.
Later Production Methods
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An important invention--the lithographic printing process--made poster production easier. A design would be created with a greasy crayon, oil-based ink and water and transferred onto dampened paper. An array of illustrations were featured on posters, although animals were most prevalent.
Artists' Roles
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As printing became more sophisticated, printing companies would hire artists to design circus posters. In most cases, an assembled team--not an individual artist--would design the posters. Much like modern billboards, the posters were an attempt to grab a spectator's attention. An early 20th Century poster for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, for example, featured a tiger that appeared to leap right off the paper.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Images courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons.
