The Circus 1870s-1950s

During its heyday, the American circus was the largest entertainment industry the world had ever seen. From the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, travelling circuses performed for audiences of up to 14,000, employed 1,600 men and women, and travelled across the country by rail for a total of 32,000 kilometres in a single season. Shows that featured death-defying bullet-men, strong-willed superheroes, scantily clad wannabe stars, fearless beast tamers, and other surprisingly outlandish characters captured the American imagination and eclipsed the theatre, vaudeville, comedy, and burlesque shows of the time.

This book sheds new light on the circus phenomenon. With photographic gems of early circus performers, as well as original posters, lithographs, engravings and fairground posters from the 16th to the 19th century illustrating the origins of the circus around the world, readers are transported into a world of excitement and skill, courage and glamour. Highlights include iconic circus images by photographers such as Mathew Brady, Cornell Capa, Walker Evans, Weegee and Lisette Model, as well as little-known images by Stanley Kubrick and Charles and Ray Eames.