Il Saltimbanco

Il Saltimbanco, resin and mixed media, 32 x 26 x 18 cm,  2015.

I recently saw a documentary about the flying frog, also called frog sliding (gliding frog) this frog a real circus acrobat has the distinction of reaching flight descending at an angle less than 45 degrees from the horizontal.

I was impressed especially by this frog movements captured by slow motion cameras,in this spectacular images acrobatic movements typical of saltimbanquis can be appreciated, apparently this frog has evolved independently of its more than 3,000 other familiar species. Their physical characteristics apparently provide them with these aerodynamic capabilities that allows them to perform these demonstrations of agility and skill in order to get their food, another characteristic they share with most acrobats.

As circus trapecists that perform their daring flights over a net or stand still on their hands defying the laws of nature, this frog has had to adapt to living most of his life in the heights to survive.

I find great similarities between these frog species and acrobats, which I tried to represent in this work.

The definition of Saltimbanqui goes back to the origins of Greek theater in 534 b.c. It was during the festivals of Dionysus, when Tepsis, initiator of tragedy performed theatrically, maked a performance that mimicked and ridiculed important characters of the time. After being accused of fraud and of being a liar, he was arrested and expelled from the city, despite this he continued with his shows in his truck traveling throughout the country.

Undoubtedly the most picturesque of the definitions is found in the dizionario della lingua Italiana.

It is Tommaseo Bellini in 1846 who defines saltimbanco in this way :

"Chi esercita una professione, un’attività, un’arte cercando soprattutto di soddisfare i proprî interessi, di mettersi in mostra, di raggiungere il successo personale, con assoluta mancanza di serietà e credibilità."

Il Saltimbanco, resin and mixed media, 32 x 26 x 18 cm,  2015.

Hace Poco he visto un documental sobre la rana voladora, también llamada rana de deslizamiento (gliding frog) esta rana , una verdadera acróbata de circo tiene la particularidad de alcanzar vuelo descendiendo en un ángulo de menos de 45 grados respecto al horizontal.

Me han impresionado sobretodo las acrobacias de esta rana captadas por las cámaras slow motion, en las imágenes se aprecian espectaculares movimientos propios de saltimbanquis (equilibristas y contorsionistas) de espectáculos circenses, al parecer esta rana ha evolucionado de forma independiente a sus mas de 3000 especies familiares, sus características físicas le proporciónan estas capacidades aerodinámicas que le permiten realizar estas demostraciones de agilidad y destreza para conseguir su alimento, otra característica que comparten con la mayoría acróbatas .

Como los artistas de circo, que realizan sus arriesgados actos volando sobre las redes o permanecen inmóviles sobre una mano desafiando las leyes de la naturaleza, esta rana ha debido adaptarse para permanecer la mayor parte del tiempo en las alturas para sobrevivir.

Encuentro grandes similitudes entre los saltimbanqui y estas especie de ranas intentando representarlas en esta obra.

La definición de Saltimbanqui se remonta a los orígenes del teatro griego en el 534 a.c.Fue durante las fiestas de Dionisios, cuando Tepsis, iniciador de la tragedia representada teatralmente, realiza una performance que imitaba y ridiculizaba a importantes personajes de la época. Después de acusarsele de farsante y mentiroso, es arrestado y expulsado de la ciudad a pesar de esto siguió sus espectáculos en su carro ambulante por todo el territorio.

Sin duda la mas pintoresca de las definiciones se encuentra en el dizionario della lingua italiana di Tommaseo Bellini del 1846. define al saltimbanco de la siguiente manera:

"Chi esercita una professione, un’attività, un’arte cercando soprattutto di soddisfare i proprî interessi, di mettersi in mostra, di raggiungere il successo personale, con assoluta mancanza di serietà e credibilità."

Paolo Guidici, "D. Manin and N. Tommaseo freed from prison 18 March 1848."

En esta ilustracion de Paolo Guidici (1929-32), del libro Storia d'Italia se puede apreciar a Manin y mas atrás a Niccolo Tommaseo detto Tommaseo Bellini llevado en andas y ensayando algunas acrobacias.

This illustration by Paolo Giudici (1929-32), from the book Italian history shows Manin and further back Tommaseo Bellini being carried piggyback by the townsfolk and awkwardly trying out some stunts.