'The Harlequin' by Richard Mandin (1952)

'The Harlequin', oil on board, by Richard Mandin (1952). Harlequin's traditional diamond patterned costume, bicorn hat, and the wooden sword that denoted his buffoonery have appealed to artists from the eighteenth century to the twentieth, and the character appears in Watteau's Italian Comedians and Picasso's Family of Saltimbanques, who were a kind of itinerant circus performer. Normally a harlequin is zany, funny, mischievous - somebody who the world might see as not having power, but through his plots will find a way to move his agenda forward. In Mandin's expressionist interpretation, his expression seems rather serious yet his costume counters that with vibrancy and joyfulness in relation to the darkened background. Mandin was a polymath with connections to Braque, Chagall, Monet, Chabaud and Picasso.

There is a small split in the board upon which the work is painted that does not affect the overall impression of the artwork. With that in mind, overall, the piece is in good condition and has been newly framed with a French-style linen slip. The artist's signature and date appear in the lower right hand. This artwork also appears in the artist's catalogue raisonné as SE033. Upon request, a video can be provided. 

About the Artist: Richard Mandin (1909-2002) was born in Marseille, France. He was a painter, illustrator and accomplished musician. At fifteen, he entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Marseille then the Ecole du Louvre in Paris. At 23, he returned to his hometown never to move again. He worked tirelessly, but exhibited little. He struggled financially, selling his paintings here and there. In 1946, he exhibited in Paris with fellow Provençal artists, Pierre Ambrogiani, Antoine Ferrari and Auguste Chabaud. The exhibition did not go unnoticed; the following year he was selected for a major exhibition in New York with Braque, Chagall, Monet, Chabaud  and Picasso. Mandin, an expressionist, used triturated paint which covered his drawings in thick layers. He loved this technique and material which somewhat explains why the subjects of his paintings are sometimes blurred and indistinguishable. His painted clouds, trees and rocks can evoke shapes or silhouettes of characters, horses or other animals. The artist's pantings are vibrant and richly coloured - they delight the viewer by creating a visual echo of his beloved music. Today Mandin's works can be found in museums in Marseille and other towns in the south of France and are widely collected. Although no longer with us, his art is rising in demand as evidenced by the spirited bidding at European auction houses when his pieces become available.

Dimensions with frame:

H 62 cm / 24.4"

W 45.5 cm / 17.9"

Dimensions without frame:

H 48.5 cm / 19.1"

W 32 cm / 12.6"