Anto-Carte (Belgian, 1886-1954) Lot n° 5

Le Saltimbanque Oil on canvas mounted on panel 42 x 34 cm Signed lower right Provenance: Galerie J. Bastien, Brussels Private collection, Belgium In this delicate study for « Le Repos de Saltimbanques », Anto-Carte focuses on the gracious profile of a saltimbanque, clearly referring to the similar type of Picasso’s blue period. Anto-Carte’s use of glowing, mother of pearl-like colors make for an intimate portrait of a gracious and melancholic figure. Here we are shown the fragile side of the carny man. In « Le Repos de Saltimbanques », this figure is surrounded by his fellow carny-folk, as belonging to a family. The oil on panel painting presented here was clearly intended as an independent artwork: the detailed rendering of the saltimbanque, the fragments of other figures in the background, and the signature of the artist in bold red leave no doubt about that. It is not impossible it was actually painted during or after the elaboration of the grand composition of « Le Repos de Saltimbanques » that Anto-Carte wished to focus on this solitary figure.