Humans have been fascinated by animal imagery since the prehistoric era when cavemen painted images of animals on walls to symbolically capture their prey and to record their observations. With the advent of the printing press, animal imagery was used as a symbol for the press itself. For example, the great fifteenth century printer Aldus Manutius employed the image of a dolphin wrapped around an anchor as his printer’s mark.
With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, companies prolifically utilized animal imagery to promote products and services. Animals were often humorously anthropomorphized to create positive emotions which would resonate with potential buyers. In addition, advertisers used animal images to link an animal’s desired characteristics to their products.
This exhibit includes several hundred examples of animal advertising primarily printed in the nineteenth century, including tradecards, menus, box tops, bookmarks, greeting cards, brochures, table tents, metamorphic cards, original art, and celluloid novelties. Of course, Dorothy’s “lions and tigers and bears” are represented. But, a tower of giraffes, a parade of elephants, a pandemonium of parrots, a parliament of owls, a pounce of cats, an army of frogs, a caravan of camels, a colony of penguins, a barrel of monkeys, and more also appear.
On view at the Book Club of California from October 14, 2024 through February 14, 2025
Email programs@bccbooks.org or call (415)781-7532 ext. 3 to make an appointment.