Courier: Fall of Babylon at Oakland Garden, June 30, 1890

Courier for the Fall of Babylon staged by Imre Kiralfy at Boston's Oakland Garden, June 30, 1890 as part of the larger Barnum and Bailey Circus. Printed on red paper, this courier is devoted exclusively to Imre Kiralfy's giant production, with the text focusing on describing the massive spectacle of the show. Illustrated on the front cover is the interior of a Babylonian building with a crowd within, all seeming to look at a speaker who is in a dark robe on the right hand side of the image. Page two features an exterior view of the whole of Babylon, with ziggurats stretching into the background and a lively city shown. On page three is an illustration titled the invading hosts before beleaguered Babylon and shows the city walls ablaze and enemy soldiers attacking Babylonians outside of the gates. The next illustration extends for two pages, and they show a procession of Babylon's king along with prisoners of war, soldiers, princesses, priests, and others. The massive procession is detailed, and shows an extensive cityscape in the back of all of the pageantry. The page after that shows an elaborate outdoor scene in a building meant to invoke the Coliseum of Rome, with displays of soldiers in decorative formations in front of a crowd while the King of Babylon is featured in the center. The next page features an illustration of Babylon under siege, with ships on fire and archers attacking others within the city. The back of the courier shows another elaborate track with a procession of soldiers. Imre Kiralfy (originally Königsbaum) (January 1845-April 28, 1919) was a Hungarian born producer of spectacles, with a number of his elaborate productions being put on by the Barnum and Bailey circus. Originally working to produce shows with his brother, Bolossy, the two put on what were known as spectacles - elaborately staged multi-media productions with music, lavish costuming, massive sets, dancing, extensive use of new electrical lighting, and minimal emphasis on dialogue. The two had a successful partnership, but split in 1887 following a falling out for reasons unknown. Imre went on to produce shows like Nero; or the Fall of Rome, Columbus and the Discovery of America and The Fall of Babylon that toured as a part of the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Kiralfy died in Brighton, England on April 28, 1919. Barnum is best known for his involvement with the circus that bore his name, but his circus ventures came about when he was in his 60s. The first show was called P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Circus. Railroads propelled the circus to success, making it easier to reach a number of locations, and the intake was significant. Barnum then opened the New York Hippodrome with similar acts. In the 1880s, he encountered competition from other circuses. A merger between Barnum's show and the Great London Show of Cooper, Bailey, and Hutchinson formed the Barnum and London Circus. Negotiations in 1887 formed the Barnum and Bailey circus. The name remained until 1919 when it became the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. It came to an end in May 2017 when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus ceased performances after 146 years. became the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. It came to an end in May 2017 when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus ceased performances after 146 years.