Pierrot aux bonnet noir
by Armand Francois Henrion

Armand François Joseph Henrion was born in Liège in Belgium on May 30, 1875. He died in Paris in 1958. He eventually naturalized as a French citizen.

He was a regular exhibitor at various Salons throughout Paris and Belgium. He was best known for his small portraits depicting smiling facial expressions of clowns - these works are actually self portraits of the artist himself who would spend his days painting before a mirror in whatever costume or facial expression he chose depending on his mood..

Henrion had an all-consuming fascination with the character of Pierrot. Henrion portrayed himself as this comic trickster, who traditionally did not wear a mask, but instead applied heavy white face make-up. Henrion explored nuances of humor in his works which encompass the facial expressions conveying such qualities as the tongue-in-cheek, the retort, the comeback, the riposte, and the droll comment. His animated, gestural style in the creation of the small, jewel-like, depictions matches the feelings they convey of a light-hearted sense that life is to be enjoyed.

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Liège