Who is this Clown?

vscience

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Found this photo of a clown. It is a photograph of another photo or artwork. Just curious if anyone recognizes him. Thx! 20200812_104311.jpg Signature on lower right : clown signed.jpg
 

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jeff of pa

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first glance looks like Lucille ball to me

probably not , but I believe it is a woman
 

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metrotec

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should be easy to identify. all clowns "make-up faces" are like a patent. They stay with that particular person for life.
 

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Doubter in MD

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It reminds me of Red Skelton. He clowned and he painted clowns but it doesn't look like his painting style. I didn't find a match to this in his artwork or in the characters he played.



red.jpg




Edit: Clarification.
 

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Doubter in MD

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Can you make out the artist's signature on the lower right side of the photo/painting?
 

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vscience

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Wowza! I didn't even see that signature! You have eyes like a hawk. 20200812_123729.jpg I'll try to add it to the my original post. High contrast: clown signed.jpg
 

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Red-Coat

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It's true that clowns have a system for protecting their facial make-up but only 'career clowns' tend to have protected their persona in this way and there isn't a single world-wide repository. Usually the make-up is painted on an egg (either a blown chicken egg or a ceramic replica) and stored together with swatches of their costume. I don't know about America, but there are at least two repositories in the UK, including the "Clown Egg Register' in London.

The practice in London started in 1946 when Stan Bult of Clowns International (then called the International Circus Clowns Club) began painting clown faces on blown chicken eggs as a hobby. It then evolved into a useful record of faces for posterity, as well as a way to memorialise the great clowns of yesteryear. When a new member registers with the organization, a replica of their personal makeup design is now carefully painted onto a ceramic egg and added to the register. Clowns help this tradition along by sending photos of their made-up faces and swatches of fabric from their costumes. The archive acts a non-legal but 'understood' copyright, to make sure each clown has a distinct look, and no two clowns are using similar personae.

What you have does appear to be of a lady and a photograph or print from an original artwork. No guarantee it's a 'registered clownface' though. There appears to be an artist signature beneath the lapel flower, but I can't read it. Looks like there's a short christian name beginning with "Do..." (Perhaps 'Dot' for Dorothy?) and a short surname also beginning with a 'D'. Doesn't ring any bells.

Clown Signature.jpg


PS: Scary things, clowns. If attacked by clowns... always go for the juggler.

PPS: Post crossed with 'Doubter in MD'
 

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DCMatt

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I thought the signature was DOE DOE. A good name for a female clown IMO... I searched but didn't find a female clown with that name. Anyway...

Do a Google image search on "1960's clown art". You'll see hundreds of paintings like yours. It was a thing back then.

In the mid 60's, my mother hung 'clown art' in my little brother's room. He was 4 or 5. He still hates clowns - and blames our mother.
 

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Doubter in MD

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Yeah. This might be a tough nut to crack. I was relieved when I opened the thread though. The last thread titled "Who is this clown?" linked to my profile.
 

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Red-Coat

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I thought the signature was DOE DOE. A good name for a female clown IMO... I searched but didn't find a female clown with that name.

Yes, whatever the signature is, it looks to be an odd name. Almost looks like ‘Dot Dot’. I wonder if it’s a self portrait? The clown has a dot on each cheek.

That doesn’t throw up much apart from there is a clown called “Daisy D. Dots” (Elaine Vercellone) who turned professional in New York in 1987 and now runs the Smile Factory Theater Co. in New Bedford. Voted ‘Clown of the Year’ in 2018 by the National Clown Association.

Recent pictures of her don’t show her current makeup or costume to be like the portrait, but I wonder if that has always been the case and if she has always used the name she now works under. As a long shot, she has her own website if you Google for it and might be able to tell you.
 

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Doubter in MD

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The facial features really do remind me of Red Skelton, but I agree that the clown is a woman or is supposed to be. And as I mentioned in my edited post, although Red did paint clowns, this doesn't appear to be painted in his style.

I won't be surprised if someone comes up with more info. The people on this site have made a lot of amazing IDs, but I'm giving up for now.
 

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Xraywolf

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Other than the hair and earring, sure doesn't appear to have feminine features to me. Then again, its a painting and can be anything the artist intended, perhaps not even based on an actual person.
 

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Doubter in MD

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Other than the hair and earring, sure doesn't appear to have feminine features to me. Then again, its a painting and can be anything the artist intended, perhaps not even based on an actual person.

You're right. It may well be from an artists imagination. In addition to the earring(s) and the hair, the flowers in the hat seem to be more feminine in nature. But the Boutonnière is more of a man's accoutrement.
 

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smokeythecat

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Tastes just like rubber chicken...a knew one person who did clowning. They had their own business cards printed with the clown on it. That was in the 90's.
 

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jeff of pa

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The facial features really do remind me of Red Skelton, but I agree that the clown is a woman or is supposed to be. And as I mentioned in my edited post, although Red did paint clowns, this doesn't appear to be painted in his style.

I won't be surprised if someone comes up with more info. The people on this site have made a lot of amazing IDs, but I'm giving up for now.

Yea I see the Red skelton Features Also.

But the Stripes to the Out side the Eyes, The Floral Hat & the Lips say woman.
Of course it May also be an Imaginary Clown,
But Defiantly Feminine
 

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