Artwork Page for The Circus

Details / Information for The Circus

The Circus

1889

attributed to Suzanne Valadon

(French, 1865–1938)
Culture
France, 19th century
Medium
oil on fabric
Measurements
Unframed: 48.8 x 60 cm (19 3/16 x 23 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna Jr. 1958.56
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
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Did You Know?

Besides being a prolific painter, Suzanne Valdon served as the model for Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Description

The attribution of this painting to Suzanne Valadon has been rejected by several authorities. Others support the attribution, arguing that the painting is merely atypical because it is an early work, signed and dated 1889. Valadon did not begin to develop her mature style until 1891.She was the mother of artist Maurice Utrillo and a prolific painter herself, although she never received any formal artistic training.
A horizontally oriented oil painting depicts a circus ring, looking over the heads of audience members as they watch clowns, a person on a horse, and others perform. Painted in thick, broken brushstrokes, the performers wear vibrant colors such as red, blues, and yellows, while the encircling audience wears dark clothes. Some audience members sit and watch while others move from their seats, one looking back at us.

The Circus

1889

Suzanne Valadon

(French, 1865–1938)
France, 19th century

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