Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Spectacular 1870s

"Loyal" Fired From The Cannon, 1879

Cox and Box, 1879

Champagne and Oysters, 1878

Diplomacy, 1878

Diplomacy, 1878

Evangeline, 1878

Pique, 1876

Pique, 1876

The Two Orphans, 1879
Theatrical posters in the 1870s shared some interesting traits, as reflected in the collections of the Library of Congress. Men tended to be represented exerting spectacular force or mastery. Women were very frequently displayed as prostrate supplicants for mercy. There was an economic depression during most of  this decade, with effects comparable to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Except that the 1930s one is remembered (because of the films). While the earlier Great Depression of the 1870s is pretty much  forgotten.

Fatinitza, 1879

Four Horse Act, 1874