{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O138807"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O138807/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JV2609/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017JV2609/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017JV2609","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EU6099","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EU6112","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O138807","accessionNumber":"S.423-1980","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This painting by Albert Houthuesen represents the clown Charles Cameron, and was probably one of several clown portraits that Houthuesen drew at the Doncaster Theatre in 1945, when the Houthuesens were living temporarily in Tickhill, near Doncaster. According to Houthuesen's biographer, for him the clown became a symbol, inseparable in spirit from an artist and a poet, and many of his works portray the clown as philosopher and saint.\r\n\r\nAlbert Houthuesen (1903-1979) was born in Amsterdam but came to London with his mother in 1912 after the death of his father.  After attending  the Royal College of Art, he became a teacher and subsequently a full-time artist.  His work covered a wide range of subjects and mediums but he always loved the theatre, dance and clowns, and was inspired to make his first clown drawings in 1944 after meeting the Hermans, a family of Russian Jewish clowns.","physicalDescription":"Charcoal and crayon drawing of Charles Cameron in baggy clown-type suit, standing with one foot in front of another in balletic pose, his hands by his sides with the figers splayed and the hands turned outwards.  He is looking up to his left, his chin jutting out, his hair standing on end.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Albert Houthuesen","id":"A20053"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"Known as Albert"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"The Curwen Press","id":"A3109"},"association":{"text":"printer","id":"x30811"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"charcoal","id":"AAT12862"},{"text":"crayon","id":"x30605"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Charcoal and brown crayon on paper.","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2017JV2609","2011EU6099","2011EU6112"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"011","id":"THES345349"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1970","earliest":"1970-01-01","latest":"1970-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.416-1980","id":"O138783"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.417-1980","id":"O138789"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.418-1980","id":"O138790"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.419-1980","id":"O138792"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.420-1980","id":"O138793"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.421-1980","id":"O138794"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.422-1980","id":"O138800"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.423-1980","id":"O138807"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.425:1-1980","id":"O138881"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Catherine Houthuesen","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"75.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"53.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Inscribed in pencil verso: 'Charles Cameron'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Charles Cameron, probably as he appeared at the Doncaster Theatre, 1945. Charcoal and crayon by Albert Houthuesen (1903-1979).","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"John Rothenstein ‘British Art Since 1900’, 1962.\r\nJohn Rothenstein ‘Albert Houthuesen: An Appreciation’ 1969.\r\nJohn Rothenstein ‘Modern English Painters’ vol 111, 1974.\r\nRichard Nathanson ‘Walk To The Moon – The Story of Albert Houthuesen’ 1990.\r\nDavid Buckman ‘Artists In Britain Since 1945’, 2006"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"clown","id":"AAT25660"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.423-1980"],"accessionNumberNum":"423","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1980,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-26","recordCreationDate":"2007-08-30","availableToBook":true}}