The Circus

1905

Harry C. Rubincam

Associated Names
Harry C. Rubincam

Artist, American, 1871 - 1940

This is a grayscale photograph of an acrobat in mid-leap above a white horse inside a circus tent. The horse stands inside a ring, appearing to walk around the edge. It is turned slightly to the right, its head down. The acrobat floats above the horse, her arms extended out to either side and her legs bent. She is wearing a costume that looks like a dress with puffed sleeves and a tutu-like skirt. On the left, a man stands on the edge of the ring next to the horse, looking towards the acrobat. The man is wearing a black jacket and black trousers. Both the acrobat and the man are blurred, and we can't see their facial features. Behind the performance, a similarly blurred audience can be seen sitting in rows, looking towards the performance. Above and behind them are the walls of the tent, which include ropes and a small decorative banner. Light seems to filter in through the side of the tent.

Media Options

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Artwork overview


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Rubincam family; George Rinhart, Patterson, NC; Private collection, New York; (Charles Isaacs Photographs Inc., New York); NGA purchase, 2011.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

-1

  • Exhibited at "O Say Can You See: American Photographs 1839-1939," Berkshire Museum, 1988, and published in accompanying monograph as page 96.

2014

  • A Subtle Beauty: Platinum Photographs from the Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2014 - 2015, unnumbered catalogue.

Wikidata ID

Q64154727

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