Federal Art exhibition WPA allocations / Nason.

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Old Orchard, a play of New England life by Marguerite Merington, is the subject that sets this print apart, and its printed credit points to the theatrical advertising trade rather than to a painting or photograph. The Strobridge Lithographing Company, a firm known for colorful stage posters and show cards in the late 1800s and early 1900s, produced it, with the record noting Cincinnati and New York. Dated around 1900, it reflects a period when regional American stories, often set on farms and in small towns, drew audiences to theaters across the country. Look closely at the bold color blocks and simplified figures, which show how commercial printers competed for attention on crowded city streets.

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