Romano Mussolini - The Clown

The clown was a popular subject among genre painters of the 1970s and 1980s. Many artists dedicated much of their careers to depicting this theme, Romano Mussolini being a prime example. Typically, the interpretation of this subject is similar for all artists who attempt it: the clown appears with his makeup designed to evoke laughter and hilarity, but instead displays a melancholic expression. This contrast is intended to spark an empathetic dialogue with the viewer. The clown has also been favored by many painters for another formal reason. Indeed, his flamboyant makeup and colorful clothing offer painters a pretext for creating original color harmonies.

This work is interesting because it is atypical of Romano Mussolini's oeuvre, specifically his exploration of the clown. In this painting, the artist doesn't focus on the subject's face, but rather almost hides it, creating a grotesque, caricatured figure with a plasticity quite unusual for Mussolini. The drawing is very bold, and the colorful costume is meticulously crafted with all its imaginative details. In short, this is a testament to this artist's skill as a draftsman. Mussolini, however, never abandons his expressive use of color, which is echoed in his treatment of space, rendered with broad, diluted brushstrokes.

Romano Mussolini was born in Forlì in 1927 and died in Rome in 2006. A primarily figurative painter, he focused primarily on genre subjects such as clowns, horses, and landscapes. His compositions display a simplicity of line and color. His passion for painting began in 1945 in Naples, where, under the guidance of the painters Corrura and Terraccini, he immediately achieved success. Romano Mussolini, in addition to his paintings, was also famous as a jazz musician and composer.

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