A Musical Clown 1930

Laura Knight gave us this glimpse into the theatrical world of the circus. I can almost smell the canvas of the tent, the sawdust on the ground, and the greasepaint of the performer's faces. Knight sets it all down with a casual mastery. Look how freely she moves between the finished areas and the sketches. The brushstrokes feel exploratory and searching. The woman in white is painted so lightly, while the clown feels robust. The blue of his costume is so intense, you can almost feel the weight of the velvet. I wonder what Knight was thinking when she made this? Was she interested in the contrast between the flamboyance of the clown and the delicate air of the woman, or in the hidden world backstage? You can see the world in their eyes.