Beschreibung:

Jean Metzinger French, 1883-1956 Arlequin Signed Metzinger (lr); inscribed 1196/Jean Metzinger/Arelquin/oil on canvas/64 x 45 1/2; and again 1196 on the stretcher Oil on canvas 63 5/8 x 44 7/8 inches (161.5 x 114 cm) Provenance: Leonce Rosenberg, Paris Henri Benezit collection, Paris Sale: Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, Impressionist and Modern Paintings, Sculptures, Drawings, Apr. 14, 1965, , illus. Jean Metzinger was fascinated with the mechanical world, but his imagination took him in other directions as well. In the 1920s and 1930s he painted a number of figural works in styles of varying degrees of abstraction. An example of a painting in this mode is his monumental Arlequin, in which Harlequin, the classic trickster of the Italian commedia dell'arte, is shown at night, throwing a cloak about his shoulders as he hurriedly steps into a small boat, presumably to make his escape from a nocturnal adventure. The background is composed of pale russets and greens, against which the imposing figure of Harlequin is set. He is clearly recognizable in his traditional costume of tricorne hat, ruff collar and motley suit, here enlivened with orange reflections from his cloak. The stock characters of the Italian comedy, especially Harlequin, have fascinated many artists. Picasso is thought to have personally identified with this clever rogue, an "outsider" to society that he revisited in his art a number of times in his art. Perhaps in this essay on Harlequin, Metzinger intended to express a similar feeling of his own. C Estate of Elsie Adler
Glue relined. Frame rubbing. Light scattered craquelure. Could use a light cleaning. Small paint flake in the lower right corner. Line of inpainting along the top right corner edge. There may be a few tiny spots of inpainting in the center. Unable to detect further restoration under UV light.