This is a painting of Senor Billy the Clown. The orginial photo was taken by P.S. Zollo. This is the second painting in my "The human side of a clown" series. This is a painting of Senor Billy the Clown. The original photo was taken by P.S. Zollo. This is the second painting in my "The human side of a clown" series. Mr. Zollo had the honor of meeting Billy the clown in person. His real name is Billy Beck. This is what Billy told Mr. Zollo during their photo shoot "In the Forties he was a clown at the celebrated Cirque Medrano in Paris and shared the stage with Buster Keaton, among others. Born in 1920 in Philadelphia, he was an artist and cartoonist, and started sketching the sad clown epitomized by Emmett Kelly when he was just a kid. He went with the army to France during WWII and stayed there, becoming a clown first on the street before he graduated to the stage." When he posed for the photo's on this fine day it was the first time he had worn the tramp makeup and costume in about 46 years. It all fit him wonderfully. I found the original photos taken by P. S.Zollo on Flickr and contacted him to see if he would allow me to paint this one. He agreed. Once I finished the painting and contacted Mr. Zollo to show him the painting this is what he wrote "It's beautiful! I am honored - and I will share this with Billy - who was a painter too - and I am sure he will be thrilled by this" I only hope I have done him justice.