Le clown jaune Possibly 1930

This is Rouault’s clown, made with ink, a world of greys. You can imagine him pushing and pulling the ink to reveal the light of the clown. Trial, error, and intuition are so important here: Rouault is in the darkroom, discovering his clown, as we are. Look at the way the ink sits on the paper, pooling in some areas and thin in others. Can you feel the weight of his hand as he drags the brush across the surface? I can just imagine Rouault in his studio, wrestling with the weight of tradition, trying to find a way to make something new, something true. The clown’s arm is extended, reaching, but there is no connection. He’s alone in the spotlight. The little dog looks sad. Painters are always in conversation with one another, riffing off each other’s ideas, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Rouault is part of a long line of artists who have looked to the circus and the stage for inspiration: think Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec. Like them, he embraces ambiguity and uncertainty. There are no fixed meanings here, only possibilities.