Red Clown by Cyril Willmott

A clown dressed in a red costume and ruffled collar holds up a game of Tic-Tac-Toe to play with a dog—or is it a pig, given the body shape and curly tail? Behind them, a large crowd under a big-top tent watches the two perform. It’s not entirely clear what the clown’s gesture signifies, nor what the animal is supposed to do next. Willmott imparts colorful detail to the clown’s eyes, face and makeup, to the props of his trade. As with the work of fellow NDG artist Gerrit Hondius, there may be overtones of social criticism in circus paintings during the Great Depression.