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pastel on paper glued on cardboard, 56 x 38.5 cm, signed and dated bottom right, in black, "Iser, (19)46"
Iosif Iser's work is complex and hardly fits into a single stylistic register. Throughout his work, he experiments with new subjects and artistic manners, diversifying and constantly reinventing himself from one exhibition to another.
A vigorous and nonconformist personality, Iser easily breaks away from the rigors of tradition and courageously and persistently follows his own path. Along this path he approaches, among other things, themes from social and political satire to the landscapes of Dobrogea and portraits of Tatars. Among all these varied subjects, Iser will present a special interest and curiosity for the theme of harlequins, and they are frequently encountered in his compositions.
This work, dated 1946, in the artist's mature period, belongs to expressionism and was made after Iser traveled to Spain in the '30s. A favorite subject especially in the interwar period, Iser constantly returns to the theme of the harlequin and does not abandon it even after the end of the Second World War. The subject illustrates his curiosity for the life of circus performers and, moreover, the way he identifies with them. In short, the subject is the artist's pretext to talk about himself. Here, as in his other works in the series, we observe the character caught in a contemplative moment, away from the show and from the eyes of the public. Beyond the comic costume, we discover in Iser's harlequin a deep emotional tension. Compassion prompts us to see him more than the masks he wears, in all his bitterness and spiritual fatigue. The subject supports Iser in understanding the world beyond the wrappers under which it hides, ultimately being a meditation on the human condition itself.
Iser represents his harlequins alone or accompanied by dancers (Colombina) and musical instruments (guitar). Such works are found in important collections, such as that of G. Oprescu, the M. Weinberg collection, and in museums such as the National Art Museum of the Republic or the Art Museum in Craiova.
Another notable detail emerges through comparison with a similar work, "Harlequin with Guitar" (reproduced in the monograph at cat. 114): while there the character is depicted in an open attitude, exposed to the viewer, here the artist opts for drapery that covers the figure of the harlequin - a less frequent choice in this series. This treatment of the costume can be interpreted as a form of withdrawal into oneself, a gesture of internalization. The harlequin is no longer, as we pointed out above, just a show character. He is a melancholic presence, marked by introspection and vulnerability.
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