Andre Derain: Harlequin and Pierrot

Derain painted Harlequin and Pierrot in 1924, and it is now in the Musee de L’Orangerie in Paris. The blurb next to the painting reads:

Despite Derain’s passion for the theatre – he created the scenery for La Boutique fantastique for the Ballets russes in 1919 – the theme of this vast composition drawn from the commedia dell’arte seems to have been inspired by Paul Guillaume, whose face might have been the model for Pierrot. This painting, executed in 1924, had pride of place in the dealer’s apartment alongside The Three Sisters by Matisse.

I was drawn to the painting because of the fixed, marionette stance of the two characters and the infinite sadness in the face of Harlequin. And the complementary look in the face of Pierrot.