"The Doll and the Circus" Oil Portrait Painting by Santini Poncini

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Some artists immediately stand out for the singularity of their work. Although little is known about the 20th-century French painter … Read more Some artists immediately stand out for the singularity of their work. Although little is known about the 20th-century French painter Santini Poncini, his work is instantly recognizable for its strangely disorienting, dreamlike quality. An emblematic hallmark of his style is the recurring depiction of cherub-faced children with doll-like features, often heavily made-up and unsettling in their androgyny. Much like Poncini himself, whose gender remains a mystery, these figures seem to defy categorization.

In this work, the child in the foreground is depicted at three-quarters length, wearing a top hat and holding a bouquet of fairy flowers. Ethereal soap bubbles float to the right. The child’s cheeks are marked with pink, and a bright red intensifies his mouth. His diaphanous complexion and almost white-blond hair further contribute to his evanescent appearance. This enigmatic image conveys an indefinable emotion, eluding any attempt at precise description—an actual tour de force evident throughout his oeuvre. Beyond this initial vision, the eye is drawn to a more impressionistic background. A fairground atmosphere—perhaps a circus—unfolds, with merry-go-rounds, rides, a character in a harlequin costume, and other less distinct details. While the main subject—the child—is painted with striking realism, the different elements dissolve into broad brushstrokes, favoring impression over photographic precision. The entire canvas explodes with color, vibrating with intense light.

This small oil on canvas, signed in red, is presented in its original frame. It is accompanied by a French inscription guaranteeing the authenticity of Poncini's works: "Reproduction and imitation prohibited. Copyright Reserved." Our gallery also offers a second piece from this "doll" series, ideal for collectors wishing to acquire a pair of works by this unique artist (see last picture).

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Santini Poncini is one of the most enigmatic figures in 20th-century French art. He was a prolific artist who painted in Paris in the 1950s and 1960s. While little is definitively known about the artist’s background, it is widely speculated that He was born in a border town between France and Italy. This dual heritage may have shaped Poncini’s distinctive aesthetic, blending the poetic sensibilities of Italian Romanticism with the avant-garde experimentation of Parisian Modernism.
Active in the vibrant Montmartre district of Paris, Poncini created an oeuvre renowned for its haunting beauty and surrealist undertones. The artist’s works frequently feature motifs such as children and flowers and performance elements, including elaborate costumes and theatrical settings. These recurring themes invite viewers into an otherworldly realm where the boundaries between reality and imagination dissolve, leaving an indelible impression of mystery and wonder. See less