Tristesse

The Sad Jester
23" Seated-doll attached to base
one-of-a-kind

Tristesse is my sad jester: he's been so busy making others laugh, ensuring their happiness, that his own sorrows have gotten the best of him. He's failed to see the truths of his own life, so now, with time passing his face registers his own griefs.

Tristesse is one of my most complicated pieces, with many elements working together.

His head, hands and shoes are of polymer clay, with the shoes being then hand-painted in oils, and further distressed to correspond with the overall antique look of the doll. Tristesse has gray eyes.

His costume is made from scraps of velvet, silk, linen, cotton crepe and distressed chintz. On his head, the jester's cap is papier mache trimmed with silk ribbon and brass bells that have been distressed and antiqued. Finished with a glass encrusted globe, his jester's staff is wrapped in shredded, antique velvet.

The globe that Tristesse sits on, as well as the globe at the end of his staff are of note: both are made with pieces of embedded cobalt blue glass over cement. The glass on the larger globe is treated to resemble sea-glass, while the chips in the smaller globe on his staff have been left to their jewel-like shine. The base of the doll is hand-painted and again, antiqued and distressed.

Contact artist for price and availability.