Skip to main content
Advanced Search
Bittersweet
On View
Not on view
Object number1966/7.77

Bittersweet

Artist (French, 1871-1958)
Date1938
Mediumaquatint
Dimensionsmat: 20 × 16 in. (50.8 × 40.6 cm)
sheet: 17 5/8 × 13 3/8 in. (44.8 × 34 cm)
image: 12 1/8 × 8 1/4 in. (30.8 × 21 cm)
Credit LineDirector's Fund
Exhibition History"French Scenarios," KIA Long Gallery (May 21 - Sept. 20, 2004). "L'esprit: Exploring Wit and Beauty in French Prints," works from the KIA permanent collection (June 15 - August 25, 2019). "L'esprit: Exploring Wit and Beauty in French Prints," [Travel Version], Sardoni Art Gallery at Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA (August 3, 2021 - October 10, 2021). Label TextA devout Catholic, Rouault's art is also concerned with suffering. His focus, however, is timeless and spiritual in nature. An image that Rouault repeatedly returned to was that of the old clown. The artist depicted the clown as a tragic figure, who, even when he is tired and lonely, was forced to make others laugh. For Rouault, the clown with his painted face is symbolic of the spiritual conflict between our false and true selves. Early in life Rouault was trained to work with stained glass. This, in part, explains the heavy black lines the artist used to give his images emotional power.