Escenas del circo 1891

Arturo Michelena captures a scene from the circus, its performers immortalized with strokes of oil paint. The clown, a central figure, echoes an ancient archetype, his painted face a mask of laughter veiling deeper melancholy. This archetype stretches back through history, finding echoes in the fool of Shakespearean plays and the satyrs of Greek drama. These figures, draped in motley, served as a conduit for societal critique, their jesting words offering truths too sharp for polite discourse. Even today, the clown's image evokes a complex mix of joy and unease, a testament to the enduring power of this symbolic figure. Michelena taps into this deep-seated cultural memory, inviting us to ponder the many layers of emotion concealed beneath the surface. Like a recurring dream, the clown resurfaces across cultures and eras.