Translated from the French.

Formerly CIP. Uk

Includes bibliographical references.

Foreword by Marius Kwint -- -- ORIGINS: ANTIQUITY - 1770 -- THE GRAND HIGHWAY -- A Day at the Circus -- The Foundations of the 'Grande Banque d'Occident' -- Jugglers, Entertainers and Acrobats -- Priests, Gypsies, Merchants: Travellers' Tales -- Fairs, Construction Sites and Rostrums: The First Performance Venues -- Preparing the Ground and Codes for Western Acrobatics -- -- IMPACT AND DOMINATION: 1770-1880 -- THE WEST CONQUERS THE WORLD -- It All Began with a Circle -- Families and Troupes: The Great Dynastic Ventures -- The Franconi Dynasty -- A Huge Building Site: The Circus Joins the City -- Equestrians Triumph Throughout Europe -- Pauline Cuzent -- Pantomimes and the Emergence of Narrative in the Circus -- Circus Bodies: The Advent of Spectacular Gymnastics -- Jules Lotard -- Whiteface and Auguste Clowns -- Foottit and Chocolat -- -- CHANGES:1880-1930 -- OF MEN AND BEASTS -- Exoticism, Wild Beasts and Splendour, German-Style -- Hans Stosch-Sarrasini -- Men and Beasts -- Claire Hliot -- Setting a System for Mobility: The Big Top -- America, America -- The Towering Figure of America and its Influence in Europe -- Phineas Taylor Barnum -- "Monsieur Loyal": The Spoken Word Enters the Circus -- Roger Lanzac -- -- INFLUENCES: 1930-2015 -- THE BIG PLUNGE -- The Soviet Circus: State Circus and Vehicle for Propaganda -- Margarita Nazarova -- Karandash -- The Chinese Acrobatic Theatre: a Renaissance -- Xia Ju Hua -- The End of a World: The American Circus in Turmoil -- John Ringling North -- The Circo Fellini: A Fresh Perspective on the Ring, In Italy and Elsewhere -- The Revival of the Circus Arts in France, Quebec and Belgium -- Annie Fratellini -- -- FINALE: A Circus for Today and Tomorrow -- -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index of Names

Using over 200 circus related artworks from the French National Library's private collections, cultural historian Pascal Jacob presents the story of nomadic circus people from the Dark Ages to the circus as Soviet propaganda and beyond. Winner of 2019 British Book Design & Production Award for Scholarly, Academic & Reference Books This beautiful book charts the development of the circus as an art form around the world, from antiquity to the present day. Using over 200 circus related artworks from the French National Library's private collections, celebrated cultural historian Pascal Jacob tells the story of travelling entertainers and their art and trade. From nomadic animal tamers of the Dark Ages to European jugglers and acrobats of the 1800s, from the use of the circus as Soviet propaganda to the 20th-century Chinese performance art renaissance, this is an exhaustive history with a uniquely international scope. Jacob draws on both rare and famous artworks, including prints dating from the 13th century, and paintings by Picasso and Dor. In doing so he demonstrates the circus to be a visual and physical masterpiece, constantly moving and evolving, and just as exciting an experience for audiences now as it was 1,000 years ago.