American

This poster depicts the free spectacle of the circus parade, placing on display the carved, painted, and gilded wagon, often the single most valuable object among the circus’s equipment. Upon arriving in a town, performers and animals marched through the streets, allowing spectators to judge the circus’s quality. Circus Day ground progress to a halt—shops closed their doors, schools cancelled classes, and factories shut down, enabling many citizens to attend.

The woodcut’s size and the imprecision in the registration of the print’s various layers of color and tone indicate it was likely adhered to a building and meant to be seen from a distance.