Circus Act Collection (#2)

Two clowns, ca 1885. Creator: Faverot, Joseph (1862-1915)
Two clowns, ca 1885. Private Collection

Footit et Chocolat, c. 1895. Creator: Ibels, Henri Gabriel (1867-1936)
Footit et Chocolat, c. 1895. Found in the Collection of Musee de Montmartre

Going to the Fair with it!... 1837. Creator: John Doyle
Going to the Fair with it!. A Cant Phrase for doing any thing in an extravagant way - Known it is presumed to most persons, 1837

Acrobat and a peacock, ca 1825. Creator: Anonymous
Acrobat and a peacock, ca 1825. Found in the Collection of Archivio di Stato del Cantone Ticino, Bellinzona

M. Pernelet and his Pets, 1902. Creator: Unknown
M. Pernelet and his Pets, 1902. From " The Windsor Magazine Vol. XVI - June to November 1902". [Ward, Lock & Co. Limited, London, 1902]

The Clown Making-Up, 1882. Creator: Unknown
The Clown " Making-Up", 1882. From " St. Nicholas: Volume IX. Part I. November 1881, to May 1882". [Scribner & Co. New York, 1882]

Ready To Be Called Into The Ring, 1882. Creator: Unknown
Ready To Be Called Into The Ring, 1882. From " St. Nicholas: Volume IX. Part I. November 1881, to May 1882". [Scribner & Co. New York, 1882]

The Tight-Rope Dancer, 1919. Artist: Mabel Alington Royds
The Tight-Rope Dancer, 1919. From Modern Woodcuts and Lithographs by British and French Artists, by Geoffrey Holme. [The Studio Ltd. London, Paris, New York, 1919]

Au cirque Maurice, 1887. Private Collection

Performance at Sadlers Wells Theatre, Finsbury, London, 1750. The curious & uncommon performances of a monkey as they will be introduc d every evening at Sadlers Wells

UniverSoul Circus
Freestyle Motocross rider Casey Higgins from Kanona, NY performs during a show of the UniverSoul Circus at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York April 7, 2017

India-Arts-Circus-Dog
An Indian dog holds an umbrella and bag during a performance rehearsal at Asiad Circus in Amritsar, 03 August 2005. The Indian circus, once known for its daring feats

Louise Montague, The $10, 000 Beauty, from Worlds Beauties, Series 1 (N26) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, 1888

The Circus (Le Cirque), 1890-91. Artist: Georges-Pierre Seurat
The Circus (Le Cirque), 1890-91. Painting housed in Musee d Orsay, Paris. From The Studio Volume 127. [The Offices of the Studio, London & New York, 1944]

Circus, 1913. Found in the Collection of Neue Pinakothek, Munich

Circus horses dressage, 1908-1909. Found in the Collection of Kirchner Museum Davos

The Rope Dancer. Found in the collection of Nationalmuseum Stockholm

The Clown, 1868. Found in the Collection of Kroller-Muller Museum, Otterlo

A Clown Playing the Violin, 1915. Found in the Collection of Nationalmuseum Stockholm

Clown, 1929. Found in the collection of Hilti Art Foundation, Schaan, Liechtenstein

At the Circus: Clown Footit, 1899. Found in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

Circus Horsewoman. Artist: Yermolayeva, Vera Mikhailovna (1893-1938)
Circus Horsewoman. From a private collection

In the circus, c. 1908. Artist: Grigoriev, Boris Dmitryevich (1886-1939)
In the circus, c. 1908. Found in the collection of the State F. Shalyapin Museum, Moscow

A Famous Tight-Rope Walker of the Seventeenth Century, 1942. From Fairs, Circuses and Music Halls, by M. Wilson Disher. [Collins, London, 1942]

Tom Thumb, 1942. Artist: Day & Haghe
Tom Thumb, 1942. From Fairs, Circuses and Music Halls, by M. Wilson Disher. [Collins, London, 1942]

Scenes in Harlequin Red-Riding-Hood, 1942. From Fairs, Circuses and Music Halls, by M. Wilson Disher. [Collins, London, 1942]

Arena of Astleys Amphitheatre, Westminster Bridge Road, 1942. From Fairs, Circuses and Music Halls, by M. Wilson Disher. [Collins, London, 1942]

Cookes Royal Equestrian Circus, 1942. From Fairs, Circuses and Music Halls, by M. Wilson Disher. [Collins, London, 1942]

The Clown. Mural Decoration in Boulestins Restaurant, London, c1927. Artist: Jean-Emile Laboureur
The Clown. Mural Decoration in Boulestins Restaurant, London, c1927. Xavier Marcel Boulestin (1878?1943), opened Restaurant Boulestin on Southampton Street, Covent Garden in 1927

Francois Fratellini, French circus clown, 1938. Fratellini (1879-1951) was one of the three Fratellini brothers, who were instrumental in the boom in popularity enjoyed by the circus in France after

Interior view of Astleys Amphitheatre in London as it appeared in 1777, (1840). Artist: William Capon
Interior view of Astleys Amphitheatre in London as it appeared in 1777, (1840). Philip Astley was the father of modern circus

Cirque Pinder, c1890-1940 (1924). Artist: Auguste Brouet
Cirque Pinder, c1890-1940 (1924). A print from A History of French Etching from the 16th Century to the Present Day, by F L Leipnik, John Lane the Bodley Head Limited, London, 1924

Lockharts elephants, 19th century

Tightrope walker, c. 1913. Artist: Macke, August (1887-1914)
Tightrope walker, c. 1913. From a private collection

Circus, 1913. Artist: Macke, August (1887-1914)
Circus, 1913. Found in the collection of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collections

The young savage of Saint-Ouen, Paris, 1898. Artist: Henri Meyer
The young savage of Saint-Ouen, Paris, 1898. An illustration from Le Petit Journal, 27th November 1898

Lion taming at the L hippodrome, Paris, 1891. Artist: Henri Meyer
Lion taming at the L hippodrome, Paris, 1891. A print from the Le Petit Journal, 23rd May 1891

Exercises of the Circus Horse, c1818-1836. Artist: Carle Vernet
Exercises of the Circus Horse, 19th century

Le Cirque ( The Circus ), 1891. Artist: Georges-Pierre Seurat
Le Cirque ( The Circus ), 1891. This picture was exhibited in 1891 at the 7th Salon des Independants in Paris. During the exhibition Seurat died. From the Musee d Orsay, Paris

The Great-Little Random, 1887. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Great-Little Random, 1887. Little Lord Randolph Churchill is seen storming off in a huff, refusing to obey the Ringmasters instructions

The Indian Juggle, 1858
The Indian Juggle. 1858. (As performed at the Theatre Royal, Westminster.) An Indian elephant juggles Palmerston (top left) and Disraeli (top right)

A trapeze artist performing at the Sidcup fete in Kent. 1939

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Step right up and witness the enchanting world of circus acts. From the humble beginnings of backyard carnivals in the 1800s to the grand spectacles that captivated audiences throughout history, these captivating performances have always been a source of awe and wonder. Imagine yourself transported back in time as you gaze upon a Byzantine ivory diptych, its intricate details showcasing men fearlessly taming bears at the ancient circus. Fast forward to 1927, where Suzanne Valadon's masterpiece "L'Acrobate ou La Roue" captures the grace and skill of an acrobat suspended mid-air, defying gravity with every twist and turn. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec takes us on a journey through time with his vivid depictions of Papa Chrysantheme at the New Circus. The vibrant colors bring to life this mesmerizing performer who effortlessly commands attention under the big top. In contrast, an unknown artist presents us with a dramatic scene unfolding within a tiger cage in 1931 - danger lurking just inches away from fearless performers. Georges-Pierre Seurat's masterpiece "The Circus" transports us to Covent Garden Theatre in 1890-91. As we watch lions perform their tricks, we can almost hear the roar of applause reverberating through time. Pearl Torell's Toy Bank from 1939 reminds us that even children were enamored by circus acts - their innocent eyes filled with joy as they dropped coins into this whimsical creation. Ernest A Towers Jr adds another delightful touch with his Monkey Bank from 1935/1942 - mischievous monkeys inviting passersby to join them on their playful escapades. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec once again graces our presence with his masterful portrayal of Equestrienne (At Cirque Fernando) in 1887/88 – capturing both elegance and strength as she gracefully rides her horse. And who could forget the daring tightrope walkers.