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Lot Essay
‘For me, to conceive of a form is to perceive a colour – vision of colour, ardour of life, ardour of form. It’s in colours I have looked for the point of departure for each idea which was to become a reality. Painting is to place oneself in the poetry of action; and action in coming about becomes true'.
Marino Marini
'And then I come back to colour... I dye and I paint, I paint and I dye, until I get to the incrustations, to superimpositions which give, by themselves, the texture.'
Marino Marini
Cavallo e giocoliere (Acrobata con cavallo rosso) focuses on a subject which had fascinated the artist since the 1920s – the theatrical drama of circus and acrobatic performers, captured in the midst of their act. Featuring the playful character of the juggler, executed in purple and yellow hues, standing next to a figure of a red horse against a blue and orange backdrop, the composition is a continuation of Marini’s explorations into not only the dynamism and energy of these players, but also the darkness and sadness that often underpinned their lives. Characterised by a combination of humour and pathos, the juggler is a reoccurring character in the artist’s œuvre, appearing time and again both in painting and sculpture, alongside the wonderful and bizarre world of the circus and the characters inhabiting it.
Here, the figure of the juggler is depicted with one arm lifted and the other cut off at the shoulder, eliminating one of the most instrumental body parts associated with his craft. The absence of the juggler’s arm is contrasted by the stance he adopts, planting his feet firmly on the ground in order to establish a wider centre of gravity, ensuring he achieves the necessary balance and concentration for his performance. Similarly, the head of the figure is straight, arching slightly backwards and angling to the left – as if keeping tabs on a series of invisible objects he has tossed into the air. Appearing agile and playful, the one-armed juggler becomes an absurd figure – restricted by the physical limitations of his body, he nonetheless carries on with his performance. Conveying both a sense of harmony and opposition, the present canvas cleverly toys with the beholder’s perception of reality, creating a complex interplay between reality and illusion.
The theme of performance in Marini’s œuvre is also closely associated with ancient rites and festivals, linking the present with past civilisations across different cultures. One of the earliest inspirations for the characters featuring in his circus-themed works were the statuettes of supple and graceful dancers from the Tang Dynasty – the ruling imperial dynasty of China between the 7th and 10th centuries AD. The small bronze votive figurines, along with surviving colourful fragments of frescoes depicting Minoan acrobats, provide a link between the iconography of Marini’s compositions and the visual language employed by the earliest civilisations inhabiting the Mediterranean. Marini inherited from these ancient cultures a passion for the depiction of public games and festivities as well as the relationship between man and nature. Based on themes from the distant past, embedded into the collective memory of humanity, Cavallo e giocoliere (Acrobata con cavallo rosso) therefore embodies the distinctive timelessness that Marini portrayed throughout his artistic production.
Marino Marini
'And then I come back to colour... I dye and I paint, I paint and I dye, until I get to the incrustations, to superimpositions which give, by themselves, the texture.'
Marino Marini
Cavallo e giocoliere (Acrobata con cavallo rosso) focuses on a subject which had fascinated the artist since the 1920s – the theatrical drama of circus and acrobatic performers, captured in the midst of their act. Featuring the playful character of the juggler, executed in purple and yellow hues, standing next to a figure of a red horse against a blue and orange backdrop, the composition is a continuation of Marini’s explorations into not only the dynamism and energy of these players, but also the darkness and sadness that often underpinned their lives. Characterised by a combination of humour and pathos, the juggler is a reoccurring character in the artist’s œuvre, appearing time and again both in painting and sculpture, alongside the wonderful and bizarre world of the circus and the characters inhabiting it.
Here, the figure of the juggler is depicted with one arm lifted and the other cut off at the shoulder, eliminating one of the most instrumental body parts associated with his craft. The absence of the juggler’s arm is contrasted by the stance he adopts, planting his feet firmly on the ground in order to establish a wider centre of gravity, ensuring he achieves the necessary balance and concentration for his performance. Similarly, the head of the figure is straight, arching slightly backwards and angling to the left – as if keeping tabs on a series of invisible objects he has tossed into the air. Appearing agile and playful, the one-armed juggler becomes an absurd figure – restricted by the physical limitations of his body, he nonetheless carries on with his performance. Conveying both a sense of harmony and opposition, the present canvas cleverly toys with the beholder’s perception of reality, creating a complex interplay between reality and illusion.
The theme of performance in Marini’s œuvre is also closely associated with ancient rites and festivals, linking the present with past civilisations across different cultures. One of the earliest inspirations for the characters featuring in his circus-themed works were the statuettes of supple and graceful dancers from the Tang Dynasty – the ruling imperial dynasty of China between the 7th and 10th centuries AD. The small bronze votive figurines, along with surviving colourful fragments of frescoes depicting Minoan acrobats, provide a link between the iconography of Marini’s compositions and the visual language employed by the earliest civilisations inhabiting the Mediterranean. Marini inherited from these ancient cultures a passion for the depiction of public games and festivities as well as the relationship between man and nature. Based on themes from the distant past, embedded into the collective memory of humanity, Cavallo e giocoliere (Acrobata con cavallo rosso) therefore embodies the distinctive timelessness that Marini portrayed throughout his artistic production.