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Circus

Candido Portinari1957

Projeto Portinari

Projeto Portinari
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Composition in yellow, green, gray, earthy, ochre, orange, red, blue, rose, white and black. Smooth texture, rough, marked strokes and use of the brush handle to remove the paint on textured areas. Composition representing two clowns in the middle of a circus arena, and we see, in the background, the audience. Clowns are located in the foreground, on the left of center. The one to the left is standing in profile to the right, is short, fat and bald. He wears a kind of very wide jumpsuit in green tones with clear and high collar. He has the right arm along the body, legs spread and bare feet. On the right we see the other clown, standing, facing forward. He's taller, has his head back, closed eyes, large nostrils apparent due to the position of the head and mouth too wide and ajar as if in a laugh. Right arm is flexed, but we can only see the flat hand, and the left is along the body, suggesting a hand inside the pocket of the overall he wears, which is wide in green and earthy shades with a circular wide frill and suggesting ruffle. He has legs apart and wears dark round-toe shoe. The arena floor is represented by semicircular area consisting of horizontal geometrical areas in shades of yellow and ochre. In the background, in semicircular track, circling the ring, three groups of spectators in the stands. On the left, we see around fifteen people just suggested, wearing clothes in blue-green shades, hats on their heads, faces and members indicated in red tones. The center group of six seated figures, like soldiers, all wear clothes in shades of orange with bandoliers suggested across the chest. To the left, a group of thirteen women, all wearing yellow dresses and with heads and members represented in green. In the background, superimposed geometrical areas in various shades suggesting the stands, where on the left of center, some figures are sketched.

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  • Title: Circus
  • Creator Lifespan: 1903-12-29 - 1962-12-06
  • Creator Nationality: Brazilian
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Creator Birth Place: Brodowski, São Paulo, Brazil
  • Date: 1957
  • Location Created: Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
  • Physical Dimensions: w73.5 x h61cm without frame
  • Provenance: João Candido Portinari
  • Rights: João Candido Portinari
  • External Link: Projeto Portinari
  • Theme: Brazilian Culture:circus, Brazilian Culture:popular types:clown, human figure:group:men, human figure:group:women
  • Technique: oil
  • Signature: Signed and dated at bottom right edge "PORTINARI 57"
  • Painter: Candido Portinari
  • Number: FCO 2989
  • Inscription: On back of frame, stamp "Goya DECORAÇÕES BARON PORNALI Augusta 2191-Loja 4” [twice]; inscriptions "20”, "2A” and "1”.
  • Catalogue Raisonné: CR-4237
Projeto Portinari

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