While the Cincinnati Art Museum attracts crowds with its The Amazing American Circus Poster show, featuring posters printed by Cincinnati-based Strobridge Lithographing Company, there's a smaller (but nonetheless fascinating) related exhibit of Strobridge entertainment-related material of the late-19th/early-20th centuries at the downtown Main Library's Cincinnati room. It turns out Strobridge gave a large collection to the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County as well as the art museum. The library's This Is Strobridge exhibition, on display through May 13, also covers circus-related posters, including an extraordinary one for a water show, but additionally has material promoting live theatrical productions, like now-up Peter Pan and Ben Hur. The Wizard of Oz will go on display soon as posters are rotated. Looking ahead, at 3 p.m. on April 9 there will be a lecture at the Library by Katie Johnson called “From Desperate Housewives to American Idols: Popular Performances 100 Years Ago From the Strobridge."
Go here for library hours and more information.
