Date: 1905-1908
Size: 15.5 x 23.5 inches
Artist: Gustave Soury
About the Poster:
Started in 1854 by two Englishmen, William, and George Pinder, Cirque Pinder is a traditional-style circus that first arrived in France in 1868. They officially established themselves there in 1904. It has changed owners several times over the years, including Charles Spiessert from 1928-1971, Jean Richard from 1972-1983, and Gilbert Edelstein, who has been running it since 1983. Whether Polish, American, or French, circus posters are considered highly collectible and with images as strong as these, we can certainly see why!
This particular poster is quite peculiar. When it first arrived at the gallery, we were struck by the bold colors and beautiful design. Upon closer inspection, we realized that the image's banner of black paint was hiding lines of writing! In this case, it faintly reads: "présente les fauves d'Alfred Court", which means "presents Alfred Court's Wildcats". Alfred Court was with Cirque Pinder from 1905-1908, where he met his future wife Renée Vasserot, a horse trainer. The court is a popular circus personality, having gained notoriety as an acrobat, circus entrepreneur, AND animal tamer. He also traveled across the world, gaining a large amount of success in Europe, the United States, and Mexico.
But why would someone have wanted to cover up that line of writing? At least for now, the answer seems to be a mystery that remains with the poster!