Circus

Artist Harry Louis Freund (American, 1905 - 1999)

Dateca. 1935

MediumOil on Masonite-type board

DimensionsUnframed: 30 × 40 inches (76.2 × 101.6 cm)
Framed: 34 × 43 7/8 × 1 3/4 inches (86.36 × 111.43 × 4.45 cm)

Credit LineGift of James and Virginia Moffett in honor of the 75th anniversary of The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Object number2009.49.1

SignedSigned in red oil paint, lower right: "L. Freund"

On View

Not on view

Collections

American Art

Terms

DescriptionThe colorful oil painting depicts an aerial view of circus tents and an eager crowd gathering to take in the spectacle. Near the top of the composition, people cross a dirt road while cars rush by kicking up dust. Multiple circus tents, including a side show tent adorned with banners advertising performers such as a snake lady and fat woman as well as a large oval white tent festooned with American flags, are situated on a green expanse of lawn. Countless people populate the lawn outside the tents. Bright red trucks and blue and red tractor-trailers throughout the composition appear to be in the process of unloading additional elements of this traveling circus. Elephants congregate at the lower left of the composition.

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