(Article: VB-20261-923)
This painting is about power that has grown tired of itself.
Before us is neither a jester nor an entertainer — it is Harlequin, who has undergone knowledge.
The one who once amused the crowd, but now is left alone with the consequences of the game.
His cap — not a mask of merriment, but a crown of paradox.
The green and red ribbons are twisted like a thought that has gone too far and cannot straighten out. This is not decoration, but a trace of tension — a visual equivalent of an inner knot.
The face is painted without grotesqueness.
It is almost tragic.
Within it — not laughter, but a weary understanding: the moment when a person realizes that they are no longer a spectator of their own game, but its author.
The most important are the hands.
They are neither commanding nor greedy. They hang in a half-gesture, as if Harlequin fears to touch what he himself has created. This is the gesture of a demiurge who has for the first time pondered the price of creation.
Inside his palms — a miniature scene:
a man and a lion.
Mind and instinct.
Will and strength.
But the man here is not the hero. He holds the lion, but does not conquer it. It is a fragile balance, not a triumph. And Harlequin looks at this as if he understands: if he falters even slightly — the scene will come alive, slip out of control, and destroy its own creator.
The lion is that part of the world and personality that cannot be destroyed, only temporarily restrained.
The darkness around the figure — not a background, but the emptiness after laughter.
When the performance is over, the audience has dispersed, but the role continues to live inside the actor.
The meaning of the painting lies in the double trap of consciousness:
a person dreams of controlling the world,
and then finds themselves trapped inside their own model of that world.
This is a story about:
the most dangerous moment is not when you are weak,
but when you are smart enough to realize
that you have power.
The painting neither accuses nor justifies.
It watches.
As intently as Harlequin watches his small, perfectly constructed,
and therefore — terrifyingly fragile — universe.
Artwork's condition:
Year of creation of the painting:
2021
Artwork Type:
Original Artwork (One Of A Kind)
Style:
Symbolism
Technic:
Oil
Support or surface:
Canvas
Topic:
Theater
Size:
Large
Width:
70 cm
Height:
90 cm
Framing:
Ships From: Austria
Delivery Cost: Shipping is not included in the price of the artwork
The shipping cost will be calculated at checkout. It depends on the size of the artwork and the delivery region, and typically ranges from €50 to €300.
Delivery Time: Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-20 business days for international shipments
Returns: 14-day return policy
Valery Egorovich Belenikin, a Russian artist, was born in 1961 in Moscow. He is a member of the UNESCO Artists' Union.In 2009, the artist was mentione ...
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