GRIMALDI THE CLOWN

Connoisseurs of the history of theatre will no doubt recall that the words ‘Grimaldi the Clown’ appear in the Charles Dickens-edited fictionalised biography of Joseph Grimaldi, Memoirs of Grimaldi, the Clown. Yes, Konstantin Chaykin devotes his new watch to Joseph Grimaldi, a great artist and the first clown to turn the genre from a show of somewhat low standards into a true artform. Grimaldi enabled the clown, one of the standard characters of the traditional harlequinade, to come to the fore. In fact, he took centre stage. The image of the clown as created by Grimaldi, with his outrageous costume, face painted in white make-up with red triangles on the cheeks, accentuated black eyebrows and big, red lips in a mischievous grin, was carefully reproduced by Konstantin Chaykin on the dial of his latest Wristmon.

The design is important as a recognition of the insight of Grimaldi, inventor of the classic image of the clown. However, that’s not the most important thing. Standing above everything else is the incredible emotionality of the first Clown, and his ability to captivate the audience with his subtle acting and quick reactions. It is no wonder that his contemporaries remarked that the only way to appreciate the skill of Grimaldi was to see him live on stage.