Charlie Rivel - Barcelona, Spain
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denben
N 41° 22.097 E 002° 09.967
31T E 430260 N 4579976
The statue of Catalan clown Charlie Rivel by Joaquim Ros i Sabaté (1972), is located at the Jardins de Joan Brossa in Montjuïc, Barcelona.
Waymark Code: WMQT40
Location: Cataluña, Spain
Date Posted: 03/26/2016
Views: 5
What was the Montjuïc Fun fair for over 30 years is now a large green space covered with abundant and very Mediterranean vegetation. Halfway between a forest park and a city garden, the Gardens of Joan Brossa have characteristics of both, especially those typical of a forest. The park has many interesting species of trees and four lovely statues of famous entertainers from the former Fun fair dotted around the gardens which are statues of Catalan clown Charlie Rivel, Charlie Chaplin, the Barcelona flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya and Barcelona gymnast Joaquim Blume.
Josep Andreu i Lasserre (April 23, 1896 – July 26, 1983), best known as Charlie Rivel, was an internationally known Spanish circus clown. He was born in Cubelles (Barcelona, Spain). His parents Pere Andreu Pausas (Spanish) and Marie-Louise Lasarre (French) were circus artists as well. He debuted at the age of three and formed the group Los Rivels with his brothers Polo Rivel and René Rivel. He took his artistic first name from Charlie Chaplin whom he encountered first in 1910. Each respected the other. Legend has it that Chaplin later asked him: "Is it you who imitate me or I who imitate you?" He later discovered his definitive routine, featuring a chair, a guitar and a long jersey.
The larger than life-size statue depicts Charlie Rivel in his clown costume raising his famous chair over his head. It is named "El pallaso" (the clown).
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