Fig. 6. Georges Seurat "Study for 'Circus Sideshow'
- Oil on Wood
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9.85 x 18.678 x 7.75 in
(25.02 x 47.44 x 19.69 cm)
- $43,000
- Georges Seurat
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Available
Circus Sideshow (Parade de cirque) represents an ensemble of circus players lined up on a narrow stage outside a tent performing sample entertainment to entice customers to their show. The French term parade describes this type of teaser or come-on act which is loosely translated to "sideshow" in English. Although Seurat suppressed identifying details in favor of a stylized approach his contemporaries notably the critic Gustave Kahn (1888) recognized the cast of characters as the Corvi traveling circus troupe (see fig. 1 above) when the painting debuted at the Salon des Indépendants. In the spring of 1887 Seurat sketched the Corvi sideshow staged at the Gingerbread Fair (Foire au pain d’épice) an annual festival held after Easter in a working class quarter of eastern Paris around the place de la Nation. These fairs were a popular source of amusement in France for centuries and drew a wide range of visitors to experience their sundry attractions.
- Collections: Studies for Masterworks