the centre of the ring

A chronophotograph from <n>Theodor Bergquist</n>'s 1913 book, <n>Swedish House-Gymnastics</n>.

Actor <n>Tim Curry</n> in a still related to <n>The Rocky Horror Picture Show</n>.

A portrait of <n>Ziegfeld Follies</n> showgirl <n>Sibyl Carmen</n> (1896-1929).

Showgirl <n>Toby Taylor</n> photographed by <n>Lindsey Ruth</n> in 2023.

Film star <n>Pola Negri</n> models a <n>pearl skullcap</n> and ropes of <n>pearl necklaces</n>, circa 1920s.

A 1925 portrait of actress <n>Billie Dove</n> by photographer <n>Alfred Cheney Johnston</n>.

The <n>Legs Akimbo exercise</n> from the 1917 book <n>Physical Training for Business Men</n>. Photo by <n>A. B. Phelan</n>.

A portrait of <n>Eugen Sandow</n>, a German strongman known as the father of modern bodybuilding.

Giclee Painting: Sandow (né à koenigsberg), leveur de poids, 18x12in.

<n>The Dolly Sisters</n> photographed by <n>James Abbe</n> in 1923.

A 1920s portrait of actress <n>Clara Bow</n> holding a clown mask.

Dancer <n>Vaslav Nijinsky</n> performing in the ballet <n>Le Carnaval</n> in 1910.

Actress <n>Marion Davies</n> in a portrait from the early 1920s, from <n>Modern Picture Classic</n> magazine.

<n>The Dodge Sisters</n> photographed by <n>George Hurrell</n> for the 1930 film <n>The March of Time</n>.

<n>Florence Vidor</n> in the 1926 silent film <n>You Never Know Women</n>, directed by <n>William Wellman</n>.

Actor <n>Claudette Colbert</n> in a <n>Pierrot costume</n> for the 1933 film <n>Tonight Is Ours</n>.

The cover of <n>Soigne ta chute</n> by author <n>Flora Balzano</n>.

A model wears a <n>cloche hat</n> and <n>dropped waistline dress</n>, 1924. Photo from the <n>Hulton Archive</n>.

A clown backstage at the <n>Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus</n>, photographed by <n>Weegee</n> c. 1943.

A photograph by <n>A. B. Phelan</n> from the 1917 book <n>Physical Training for Business Men</n> by <n>H. Irving Hancock</n>.

A vintage clown portrait by photographer <n>WeeGee</n> from the 1950s.

Image used as the profile picture for the <n>DMD</n> YouTube channel.

Russian artist <n>Alexander Vertinsky</n> as the character Pierrot, 1918.

A <n>Paper Moon Portrait</n> from the 1920s.

Actress <n>Clara Bow</n> in a 1920s publicity photo for <n>Paramount Studios</n>.

A portrait of a <n>German stowaway</n> at Ellis Island, photographed by <n>Augustus Frederick Sherman</n> c. 1905-1914.

Stilt-walkers at the <n>Cole Bros. Circus</n> in 1949.

<n>Pierrot Listening</n>, c. 1854, by <n>Nadar</n> and <n>Adrien Tournachon</n>, featuring mime <n>Charles Deburau</n>.

A chronophotograph from <n>Physical Training for Business Men</n> (1917) by <n>H. Irving Hancock</n>. Photo by <n>A. B. Phelan</n>.

<n>Twiggy</n> in the 1971 film <n>The Boy Friend</n>, directed by <n>Ken Russell</n>.