The acclaimed painting, “Carnival of Harlequin (Spanish: Le Carnaval d’Arlequin)”, interpreted as an elucidation of the human subconscious mind, was a masterpiece by the famous Spanish painter, sculptor and ceramicist Joan Miro (1893-1983). Modest and reclusive by nature, Joan was the son of a wealthy goldsmith. Created during 1924-25, the “Harlequin Carnival” measures 66cm x 93cm. This oil on canvas painting, conceived in France, well represents ‘Surrealism’, the painter’s preferred style. Magnificently unconventional, “Harlequin’s Carnival” has always drawn criticism from art experts for not conforming to the usual eloquence of art.
The carnival shown in “Harlequin Carnival” is a merry festival, a period of revelry that concludes before Ash Wednesday in the Christian calendar. The end of the carnival marks the beginning of the Lenten season, commemorating the Passion of Christ through individual sacrifices over the next forty days. At carnival, people celebrate by dressing up as funny characters and objects called floats and moving around the place, entertaining others and creating a pleasant and festive atmosphere. Joan Miro represents many enthusiastic and colorful characters in “Harlequin Carnival” as an unprecedented collection, with most of the images and shapes probably created in a playful mood.
The central character of the painting, Harlequin, is a person who wears a mask or costume for fun. The painting presents the hidden expression of a man who imagines himself in a fun and joyful environment. Some of the other featured characters in “Harlequin’s Carnival” are two cats sharing the same piece of yarn to play with and an inquisitive sun peering out the window. There are similar looking musical notes flowing alongside a violin. A tall man with a yellow mask is shown in the center and a man dressed as a guitar, seen next to him. This man’s feet are quite visible, as he is standing by the dice, where a busy insect is sitting. There is a ladder to the left of the painting and at the top are two human forms swaying in the gentle breeze, amusing themselves in an imaginative trapeze shape. A man with a two-tone face, red and blue, with a long mustache is shown and a fish can also be seen on the table. Several other unidentified images are there at the “Harlequin Carnival” as part of the festive atmosphere.
Overall, Joan’s painting definitely provokes a moment of carnivalesque fervor in the viewer’s mind. “Harlequin Carnival” has been defined as “a random choice of images in an illogical arrangement”. The painting currently adorns the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo.