Not on display

Poster advertising Polish circus

Poster
ca.1965 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

During the 1960s the Polish State Entertainment Agency (ZPR) hit on the idea of promoting Polish circus (CYRK) by commissioning posters from a group of leading poster artists including the poster designer and book illustrator Waldemar Swierzy (1931-2013) who was head of the poster design studio at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts from 1995 to 2001 and a medal winner for many of his superbly witty posters produced from the 1950s onwards.

These Polish circus posters all featured the word Cyrk in eye-catching graphics. They were not intended as advertisements for specific performances or companies but as works of poster art that conjure the spirit of Polish circus. Brilliantly designed, rich in fantasy and humour, these posters were soon appreciated within Poland and abroad as collectable items, and have since featured in many exhibitions of poster art throughout the world.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePoster advertising Polish circus (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Printing ink on paper
Brief description
Poster advertising Polish circus, ca.1965. Colour lithograph by Waldemar Swierzy (1931-2013)
Physical description
Pictorial poster advertising Polish circus illustrated with an image of a booted ringmaster with the head of a horse and wearing a cummerband, doffing his top hat and brandishing his whip
Summary
During the 1960s the Polish State Entertainment Agency (ZPR) hit on the idea of promoting Polish circus (CYRK) by commissioning posters from a group of leading poster artists including the poster designer and book illustrator Waldemar Swierzy (1931-2013) who was head of the poster design studio at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts from 1995 to 2001 and a medal winner for many of his superbly witty posters produced from the 1950s onwards.

These Polish circus posters all featured the word Cyrk in eye-catching graphics. They were not intended as advertisements for specific performances or companies but as works of poster art that conjure the spirit of Polish circus. Brilliantly designed, rich in fantasy and humour, these posters were soon appreciated within Poland and abroad as collectable items, and have since featured in many exhibitions of poster art throughout the world.


Collection
Accession number
S.3795-1995

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

Record createdApril 13, 2021
Record URL
Download as: JSON