The Big Day by Gustave Baumann
The Big Day
Gustave Baumann
Title
The Big Day
Artist
Gustave Baumann
1881 - 1971 (biography)Year
1938
Technique
color woodcut
Image Size
6 7/8 x 9 1/4" image
Signature
pencil, lower right
Edition Size
II 14-125
Annotations
pencil titled, lower left, and editioned, lower right
Reference
Chamberlain 11; Baumann 121
Paper
cream Zanders laid with Hand-in-Heart watermark
State
published
Publisher
artist
Inventory ID
AB4358
Price
$5,000.00
Description
The circus was a major source of entertainment in America in the early 1900s. It was very big business and no fewer than eight circus companies brought their big tents and animal acts to Illinois. These companies included Barnum and Bailey’s Greatest Show, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, Cole Brothers World Toured Shows, Gentry Brothers Circus, Hagenbeck-Wallace Shows, Miller Brothers, Norris and Rowe Circus, and Ringling Brothers. It is unknown which circus company Baumann depicted but it had “Wild Animals in Startling Acts.” This was serious entertainment to the town and city folks and men and women dressed in their Sunday finery.