Picture 1:

In this work, the artist uses the characters from the Commedia dell'Arte, Harlequin and Polichinelle, as profound and emotional symbols. Harlequin, with his costume of coloured triangles, embodies seduction, ingenuity and the spirit of provocation. This character appeared in the artist's creations from 1901, marking his pink period, and remained a motif until 1924, when he turned to surrealism.

Polichinelle appeared in 1920, when the artist designed the costumes for Stravinsky's ballet Pulcinella, presented by Diaghilev. This traditionally grotesque character became a gallant persecuted by jealous lovers. In this composition, Harlequin and Polichinelle are brought together, with Polichinelle playing the violin, to illustrate the fusion between figuration and abstraction, realism and the avant-garde, evoking a ‘return to order’ inspired by Stravinsky and the artistic context of the time.

Picture 2:

This painting uses the decalcomania technique, a process in which one sheet is pressed against another covered in gouache and then quickly removed. The still wet gouache produces unexpected textures, evoking natural forms such as rocks, coral and deep underwater landscapes. This approach produces a mysterious, spontaneous effect, with chance playing a central role.

In several works from 1936, the artist enhanced this method by adding stencils and vignettes, influencing the motifs that appeared. These ‘automatic decals for intentional reading’ make it possible to represent figures such as the lion, which could symbolise desire, or, in the case of Marcel Jean, windows that open onto new perspectives.