Ringling Brothers: Ernest Clark
Maker
The Strobridge Lithographing Company
(American, 1867 – 1960)
Date1910
MediumInk on paper
Dimensions1 sheet (V): 40 1/4 x 30 in. (102.2 x 76.2 cm)
ClassificationsPosters
Credit LineTibbals Circus Collection
Object numberht2001319
Ernest Clark was born into a family of British equestrian performers. As the Clarkonians, Ernest and his brother Charles performed a flying-return act. They arrived in America with the Barnum & Bailey Show in 1903 and went on to be featured with the Ringling show from 1906 to 1926. With Charles catching, Ernest would perform an array of stunts as he flew through the air. Easily accomplishing the double somersault, Ernest became the first to successfully complete a triple somersault during a performance. It is said that in practice he was able to complete a quadruple somersault to a catch!
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