Images that feature circuses or carnivals. While historically the term “circus” referred to a type of Roman building or a circular road, today it is generally understood to mean a traveling group of performers—often accompanied by animals—who present shows in a large, circular tent. Carnivals are generally understood as traveling amusement shows, with rides like ferris wheels and roller coasters. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, artists such as Pablo Picasso took up the subject of circus performers, building on a long tradition of their representation in art. Circus performers existed on the outskirts of society, and some critics argue that Picasso saw them as comparable figures to avant-garde artists.