Clown Sculptures

Theatre and painting have long known a second clown, the pensive one, the sad Pierrot who watches rather than performs. Two of our silver clown figurines belong to him. The Silver Sitting Clown Statue perches on the edge of a black square block, hat on, legs hanging, lost in thought. The Silver Clown Statue Thinking Clown sits on a white block with gold shoes and a gold hat brim, a small gold object in his hands.

The Silver Clown Figurine, the smallest of the group, sprawls on the floor with one gold-gloved hand raised, as if greeting the audience after a fall. These quieter pieces give the collection its range, from the noise of the ring to the moment the lights go down. A resistant lacquer protects each one, so a soft, dry cloth keeps the silver bright; metal polish is best left aside.

Harlequin and Columbine come from the commedia dell'arte, the largely improvised Italian theatre of masked characters that spread across Europe from the 16th century. Harlequin's costume was traditionally a patchwork of diamonds, and here it becomes a close-fitting lozenge pattern from neck to ankle. The Silver Harlequin Statue Playing Mandolin wears a gold ruff collar; the Silver Columbine Woman Statue stands with crossed legs, lifting a small gold mask.

Tall and slender on round dark bases, they are the most elegant pieces on the page and are at their best side by side. Collectors of clown art often set them near our human statues and mask sculptures, while the circus clowns sit happily among our figurines and sculptures for kids.