ACEO Clown Portrait #38 "Grock"

Clown #38 "Grock", acrylic on paper, 

2 ½” x 3 ½” (64 x 89 mm), 2018

Clown #38 is homage to famous Swiss clown "Grock", Charles Adrien Wettach (1880-1959). He was also composer and musician. Called "the king of clowns", "the greatest of Europe's clowns" and once the most highly paid entertainer in the world. 

At fourteen Adrien joined the circus career as a magician, acrobat and mansnake. He left this environment after some time to devote himself to various activities and to setup a Duo named Alfredianos, with a clown named Alfredo, during his expat experience in Hungary. This duo performed with the Crateil circus for two years. Adrien then went to France, in the circus Barracetta, to start with, and as a cashier in the Swiss National Circus. He became a master in every circus specialty (contortion, juggling, balancing, acrobatics, horseback riding) and revealed considerable musical skills learning to play a surprisingly high number of instruments: piano, violin, clarinet, saxophone, accordion, trombone, xylophone, etc. In 1903 he teamed with another eccentric musician, Marius Galante, a.k.a. Brick, and took his nickname, Grock.  

At the top of his career Grock purchased a magnificant 50 rooms house in Imperia,  Italy in the '20's for summer vacations and named it as "Villa Grock". When he retired in 1954 he decided to live in this house permanently and later on he died in this house. Today, his house is a museum called "Museo del Clown".  And there it's another place to visit for circus and clown lovers!

Gardens of "Villa Grock"

If you would like to see the work in progress pictures of my ACEO miniature Grock portrait click here. Join me on my Patreon to receive latest posts  about  my latest clown portraits and many other benefits...

Become a Patron!