A Sad Clown

Clown costumes and makeup have been pretty standard for quite a long time. This vintage image of a clown from Hanneford’s Canadian Circus is from all the way back in 1910. His costume isn’t too different from modern-day clown costumes. He’s wearing oversized pants and standard white makeup. The only unsettling thing about this photo is how unhappy he looks.   

The stereotype of the “sad clown” wasn’t really a thing back in the early 20th century. This photo looks like it was taken backstage or behind a circus tent, so this clown was probably just being himself away from the prying eyes of circus guests. The life of a circus performer could be pretty grueling. Maybe this clown was feeling a little tired that day.