Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company - Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company print of The Colonel performed by actor - n.d. - T-Shirt

A vintage theatrical chromolithograph showing an actor in the role of The Colonel, framed inside a sunflower medallion.

Visual Elements & Composition

A cream ground fills most of the sheet, with golden yellow sunflower petals radiating outward from the centre. At the heart sits a circular medallion holding a grayscale portrait of a man in a dark suit and tie, with a moustache, set within an oval frame. Olive brown stems and leaves anchor the flower, and black and grey pick out the portrait's shadows. The lettering reads "THE COLONEL" along with "FORBES CO. BOSTON" and the numerals "60 1934".

Meaning & Symbolism

The Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Company of Boston was known for high-quality commercial chromolithography, producing posters and theatrical prints for the stage of the 1890s. Here the printed portrait presents the performer as a character type: the Colonel, a stock figure of the period, associated with military authority, southern gentility, and social standing. The sunflower surrounding the portrait frames the actor as a bright central attraction, turning a single stage production into a decorative emblem that carried the theatre's appeal into the streets and homes of its audience.

Wearing the Print

This artwork is built around a single central portrait, so the tee's chest is the natural place for it to live. The medallion and radiating petals spread across the shirt the way they spread across the original sheet, keeping the design centred and readable from across the room. The cream ground and golden petals give the print a warm, sunlit quality that suits a casual everyday shirt.