Entering the Ring 1939

Cyprián Majerník's "Entering the Ring" is a gathering of figures painted with what looks like gouache or tempera, judging by its matte, chalky surface. The artist's hand lingers in the visible brushstrokes, like whispers of each decision made. The painting feels like a memory, a fleeting moment captured just as it begins to fade. I can almost feel Majerník standing before his easel, squinting at the light, trying to fix the scene in his mind before it disappears. Look at that confident stroke of white paint that defines the clown's face. It’s this that makes the painting so evocative. What do you think he was thinking when he painted it? What inspired this strange parade of performers? There's a connection across time here. We see echoes of Daumier's social commentary or perhaps even a nod to Picasso's circus performers. Artists are always in conversation with each other, borrowing and riffing off each other’s ideas. They pass the creative baton from one generation to the next.