Jan 24, 2020
Jan 24, 2020

Untitled (40485)

Circus

Untitled (40485)

1958

Bruce Davidson

(American, b. 1933)

Gelatin silver print

Paper: 35.6 x 27.9 cm (14 x 11 in.)

Gift of an anonymous donor 2018.828

Location

Did you know?

Traveling circuses seemed to be dying out when Davidson began to chronicle them in 1958.

Description

Returning sporadically to the subject through 1967, he photographed the spectacle of performance, but was most strongly drawn to the performers’ mundane daily lives and the duality of their stage and real personalities. He paid special attention to Jimmy Armstrong, a clown and little person who adopted the name “Little Man” in his performances.

See also
Department: 
Photography
Type of artwork: 
Photograph

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email [email protected].

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.