Three Graflex negatives of the interior of the circus tent have survived at the Center for Creative Photography as well as one small alternate proof print at the Getty museum. Weston clearly selected the image that was the simplest. In the others the poles supporting the tent block our view and ground the images. Two of the others show the public, and one of them even includes the grass on the ground. None of the others would have allowed a Mexican reviewer to confuse the light-colored panel for a ray of sunlight entering the tent. On March 2, 1924, Weston went with friends to attend the circus performance. Then, it seems, he returned and photographed the tent: "A recent morning I took my Graflex to the circus, made negatives which please me of the graceful folds, the poles and ropes of the tent. One, 'shooting' straight up, recalls a giant butterfly. At least two of them are interesting as experiments in abstract design. Tina too made several good things of the circus . . ." On March 10, he described this and the previous print as "pleasant and beautiful abstractions, intellectual juggleries. . . ." About two weeks later, he mentioned it again: "The tent of El Gran Circo Ruso is now enlarged and printed. I could wish for a more searching, critical definition in parts: the use of camera without tripod is not conducive to accurate focusing in a dim light which precludes the use of a small stop. Nevertheless, if it is not microscopically sharp, it is visually satisfactory, and I pulled a good print from the negative." Both the painters Jean Charlot and Diego Rivera mentioned it among their favorite prints by Weston [Amy Conger, "Edward Weston: Photographs," figure 116].