Poster
1942 (printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This poster advertised the extraordinary Circus Polka, an act featuring fifty elephants in tutus ridden by similarly-clad dancers, which brought together the remarkable talents of the dancer and choreographer George Balanchine (1904-1983), the composer Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), and the circus manager John Ringling North (1903-1985). By 1942 Stravinsky was an established composer living in Hollywood, and Balanchine was a well-known choreographer and the founder of the American School of Ballet. Stravinsky was commissioned to compose the music for the polka through Balanchine, both men having made their name working with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris.
The elephant ballet was performed during the 1942 season, entitled Holidays, in New York's Madison Garden building where Barnum's circus had performed since 1881. The Ringlings had run the Ringling and the Barnum and Bailey shows as two separate units but combined them in 1919. Despite losing control of the syndicate in 1932 during the Depression, they regained control in 1938 under the management of John Ringling North, the nephew of John Ringling, who kept it going until the 1950s.
The elephant ballet was performed during the 1942 season, entitled Holidays, in New York's Madison Garden building where Barnum's circus had performed since 1881. The Ringlings had run the Ringling and the Barnum and Bailey shows as two separate units but combined them in 1919. Despite losing control of the syndicate in 1932 during the Depression, they regained control in 1938 under the management of John Ringling North, the nephew of John Ringling, who kept it going until the 1950s.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Printing ink on paper |
| Brief description | Framed poster advertising The Elephant Ballet produced by Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey with music by Igor Stravinsky, staged by George Balanchine as part of the 1942 show Holidays, Madison Square Garden and on tour, 1942. Designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer |
| Physical description | Poster attached to a rigid support and framed, unglazed, in a wooden frame. The poster has a black background and features an image of two grey Indian elephants without tusks standing in a spotlight in left profile, both wearing pink tutus and balancing on their left back legs, their right back legs bent up behind them, their front legs held out in front of them, and their trunks curled up. Along the top of the poster in yellow and petrol-green upper-case lettering are the words: 'THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH PRESENTS 50 FAMOUS ELEPHANTS WITH BEAUTIFUL GIRLS'. Below this is the image of a pirouetting dancer, her arms in the air, standing on an elephant circus tub decorated with red stripes and blue stars, on which is written: 'BUY DEFENSE BONDS'. On the left of the elephant image in yellow upper case are the words: 'IN AN ORIGINAL BALLET COMPOSED BY IGOR STRAVINSKY STAGED BY GEORGE BALANCHINE'. The name of the circus 'RINGLING BROS AND BARNUM AND BAILEY' runs along the bottom of the poster in yellow and petrol-blue upper case lettering. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label | Gallery rotation, 2020
POSTER FOR CIRCUS POLKA, THE RINGLING BROTHERS AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS
1942
Circuses were used to increase morale during the Second World War, and an eye-catching poster was essential to promote public excitement and anticipation. This poster advertises an act featuring 50 elephants in tutus ridden by dancers. While once extremely popular, the use of exotic animals is now banned in England under the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019.
Designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer
Printing ink on paper
Museum no. S.423-1984(2020) |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This poster advertised the extraordinary Circus Polka, an act featuring fifty elephants in tutus ridden by similarly-clad dancers, which brought together the remarkable talents of the dancer and choreographer George Balanchine (1904-1983), the composer Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), and the circus manager John Ringling North (1903-1985). By 1942 Stravinsky was an established composer living in Hollywood, and Balanchine was a well-known choreographer and the founder of the American School of Ballet. Stravinsky was commissioned to compose the music for the polka through Balanchine, both men having made their name working with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Paris. The elephant ballet was performed during the 1942 season, entitled Holidays, in New York's Madison Garden building where Barnum's circus had performed since 1881. The Ringlings had run the Ringling and the Barnum and Bailey shows as two separate units but combined them in 1919. Despite losing control of the syndicate in 1932 during the Depression, they regained control in 1938 under the management of John Ringling North, the nephew of John Ringling, who kept it going until the 1950s. |
| Associated object | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.423-1984 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 2, 2008 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
