Drawing
1945 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This hand-coloured lithograph by Albert Houthuesen represents the clown Michael Herman and was one of several clown portraits that Houthuesen drew at the Doncaster Theatre in 1945 when the Houthuesens were living temporarily in Tickhill, near Doncaster. According to Houthuesen's biographer, the clown became a symbolic figure for the artist, inseparable in spirit from an artist and a poet, and many of his works portray the clown as philosopher and saint.
Albert Houthuesen (1903-1979) was born in Amsterdam but came to London with his mother in 1912 after the death of his father. After attending the Royal College of Art, he became a teacher and subsequently a full-time artist. His work covered a wide range of subjects and mediums but he always loved the theatre, dance and clowns, and was inspired to make his first clown drawings in 1944 after meeting the Hermans, a family of Russian Jewish clowns.
Albert Houthuesen (1903-1979) was born in Amsterdam but came to London with his mother in 1912 after the death of his father. After attending the Royal College of Art, he became a teacher and subsequently a full-time artist. His work covered a wide range of subjects and mediums but he always loved the theatre, dance and clowns, and was inspired to make his first clown drawings in 1944 after meeting the Hermans, a family of Russian Jewish clowns.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | pencil and red crayon on paper |
| Brief description | Michael Herman, drawn from life at the Doncaster Theatre, 1945. Portrait by Albert Houthuesen (1903-1979), pencil and crayon. |
| Physical description | Half-length portrait in pencil and red crayon of the clown Michael Herman, showing him in his clown make-up with a bald wig, tufted at each side of his head with clumps of hair, a red nose and wide-smiling painted mouth. He wears a baggy over-size jacket, a waistcoat and a broad tie. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Signed in pencil verso 'Houthuesen' and inclcribed in pencil verso 'Michael Herman' 'Drawn from life at the Doncaster Theatre 1945' |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs Catherine Houthuesen |
| Production | A note in pencil verso by Houthuesen or his widow notes that this was painted at Doncaster Theatre. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This hand-coloured lithograph by Albert Houthuesen represents the clown Michael Herman and was one of several clown portraits that Houthuesen drew at the Doncaster Theatre in 1945 when the Houthuesens were living temporarily in Tickhill, near Doncaster. According to Houthuesen's biographer, the clown became a symbolic figure for the artist, inseparable in spirit from an artist and a poet, and many of his works portray the clown as philosopher and saint. Albert Houthuesen (1903-1979) was born in Amsterdam but came to London with his mother in 1912 after the death of his father. After attending the Royal College of Art, he became a teacher and subsequently a full-time artist. His work covered a wide range of subjects and mediums but he always loved the theatre, dance and clowns, and was inspired to make his first clown drawings in 1944 after meeting the Hermans, a family of Russian Jewish clowns. |
| Associated objects |
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| Bibliographic reference | John Rothenstein ‘British Art Since 1900’, 1962.
John Rothenstein ‘Albert Houthuesen: An Appreciation’ 1969.
John Rothenstein ‘Modern English Painters’ vol 111, 1974.
Richard Nathanson ‘Walk To The Moon – The Story of Albert Houthuesen’ 1990.
David Buckman ‘Artists In Britain Since 1945’, 2006 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.417-1980 |
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| Record created | August 29, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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