$12,000
Sold
sold
Click image to enlarge
Description
22" (56 cm.) Posed seated upon a wooden chair on a
wooden platform stage with tapestry cover is a
paper-mache clown holding a mandolin with inlay
decorations. The clown has an oil-painted clown
complexion with fanciful clown decorations,brown
glass eyes,high arched brows,open mouth with
painted teeth,and a long protruding tongue. His
torso and legs are carton,and his hands are
bisque. The clown is wearing a crisp silk taffeta
clown costume with applique star motifs,black
stockings and silk slippers,and his
three-dimensional mohair wig is two-toned in the
classic style. Movements and Music. Strumming his
mandolin throughout,he turns his head in a wide
sweeping gesture,nodding. He taps his left foot
several times as though seeking attention,and
finally bends forward at the waist as though
accepting bravo's from his audience. He sticks his
tongue in and out throughout the performance. Two
tunes play,"Sur le Boulevard" and
"...Michel",according to the LB signed paper tune
label. Leopold Lambert,circa 1895,the model named
"Clown sur Chaise" in the firm's original catalog.