The Many “Faces” of SIMBARI
“The Entertainer”
“The Jester” -
- “The Clown” - - “Harlequin”
All these ‘antique’ words could describe the ‘actor’ in Nicola . . .
Nicola’s favourite ‘story’ about himself . . .
that - - - as a young man, he ran away to join the circus!
Haven’t we ALL wanted to do that !!! -
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This painting is a
Self-Portrait ! And . . . I LOVE it !!!!
I have always likened
Nicola to a Clown He is Il Pagliaccio There is the JOY and TRAGEDY  |
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“Clown aux Saxaphone”
bronze ©Nicola Simbari |
THE CIRCUS
Or
- - - traveling performers (Saltimbanchi) - - -
As a boy, Nicola would visit the “traveling performers” (acrobats and fire-eaters) that visited the squares of towns and villages, all over Italy - He ‘Threatened’ his mother that he would run away to join a Circus - - - !
HE didn’t . . he became an extra-ordinary Artist !
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The
“Saltimbanchi” were the ‘entertainment’ for towns all over Italy . . .
and Nicola loved the excitement, the Colour, and the Drama, which he
has painted all through his long career . . . illustrating it, in his
Children’s book, “Gennarino” . . . and as Quadriums in Silkscreen,
during his ‘love affair’ with Paris - - the ‘showmen’ in St. Germain,
near his Studio, in 1980s . . . always, a FASCINATION . . . with their
Performances - - -
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La Piazza . . . The JOY! The THRILL |
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“The Fire-eater” ©Nicola Simbari from “Gennarino” Published by JB Lippincott & Oxford University Press |
The COLOUR The FUN |
“Clowns”
©Nicola Simbari
quadrium in silkscreen in Place St Germain. Paris |
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The CIRCUS brings mystery and
excitement - - - stories of performers, and their clever tricks, and
their many different Costumes, coming to us, through the ages . . . entertainment is one of the oldest ‘professions’ in the world! |
sketch for “Circus Family” ©Nicola Simbari |
Here, Nicola used himself, Jenny and me, as ‘models’ Certainly ! our Life was a “circus” ! |
Shortly after we were married we went to see the Russian Circus, when it came to Rome, and Paris . . . and the Chinese Circus . . .
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then, in Paris there was a “Small Top” “Le Cirque Ancienne Grus”, near Place de Voges, in the centre of the oldest part of this beautiful city, MAGICAL ! |
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| “LeCirque” oil on canvas ©Nicola Simbari |
The Vernisage of “Le Cirque SIMBARI” In PARIS - - - and later in New York - - - |
The New York Times, later described it as “throwing a Circus!”  Nicola, The ENTERTAINER !!! |
But . . . .
like so many artists . . . actors, painters, poets, or clowns . . .
The Other Side of their ‘person’ is hidden . . . off Stage
IS THIS NICOLA
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the “Hidden Side”
“Clown au Trombone” acrylic on canvas ©Nicola Simbari |
OR THIS “Clown with Mandolin” gouache on paper ©Nicola Simbari |
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© Elfrida 2011
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