Clown 1913

Georges Rouault threw down this painting of a clown at some point in his career, using oil paint, probably in his studio. It looks like the painting came into being through struggle and intuition. The red arm is really what grabs me. It’s like a slash of pure feeling, painted with a kind of desperate energy. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving quickly, trying to capture something elusive. It's really a visceral, emotional experience. I imagine Rouault thinking about what it means to be a clown, a figure of both laughter and sadness, maybe even despair. His paintings remind me of Ensor, with his carnival-like figures, or even the raw expressiveness of Van Gogh. Artists are always in conversation. Ultimately, painting isn't about answers but about questions. Rouault’s Clown is a painting about the messy, contradictory nature of being human, embracing the ambiguity and uncertainty of life.