Acrobat with Two Dogs (Clown)

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

This solemnity of this scene speaks to an important part of Rouault's Catholic faith: seeing the humanity and spiritual light in people (such as clowns) who lived on the fringes of society. The painting's jewel tones and black outlines mimic the stained glass of a Gothic cathedral. The picture's subject matter and rough brushstrokes uphold a directive from Rouault's friend, the Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain, that sacred art made during the modern era should reflect modern painting techniques.

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