Romano Mussolini - Untitled

The clown is an extremely popular subject among genre painters of the 1970s and 1980s. Many artists have dedicated much of their careers to depicting this theme, with Romano Mussolini being a prime example. Generally, the interpretation of this subject is similar for all the artists who tackle it: the clown appears with makeup intended to evoke laughter and merriment, but instead has a melancholy expression. This contrast is intended to create an empathetic dialogue with the viewer. The clown was also favored by many painters for another formal reason. Indeed, his striking makeup and multicolored clothing offer painters an opportunity to create original color harmonies.

The clown is one of Romano Mussolini's favorite subjects, always interpreted using his figurative technique characterized by expressionistic tendencies. In this case, we can observe a very light application of paint that makes the figure of the clown rather blurred, as if it were an apparition on the reddish surface of the background. The clown's face blends perfectly into the pictorial space thanks to Mussolini's famously light touch. As for the description of the face, however, the artist uses a more pronounced line, highlighting the contours with a few essential strokes. The large eyes full of light and the bright red mouth are emphasized, as in all his other works on the same theme. In the details of the hair, Romano Mussolini returns to a faster pictorial style, creating a light, airy mass moved by the wind. The entire color palette is in line with Mussolini's expressionistic tendencies, with the colors having a strong emotional significance compared to natural reality. The space in the works is always decontextualized to make the subject more empathetic.

Romano Mussolini was born in Forlì in 1927 and passed away in Rome in 2006. An essentially figurative painter, he devoted himself mainly to genre subjects such as clowns, horses, and landscapes. His compositions show 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 good results. Romano Mussolini, in addition to his body of paintings, was also famous as a jazz musician and composer.

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