Tony Prince, the Atomic Clown, with clock nose, declassified
2006
21 by 16 in h
Digital Painting
Based on a photo from the "Hanford Historical Photo Declassification Project".
© copyright Jk
Tony Prince, the Atomic Clown, was also the subject of a previous entry. In this digital painting, I have done Tony so his flesh appears to show through crackled paint, but Burt Pierard, who apprenticed with Tony, says that Tony was a master at the art of applying clown makeup.
I've been interested in clowns for a while, their function in different cultures. Exactly what the process was in American culture where they became principally associated with entertainment for children, I don't know. Because, of course, they're not just for the entertainment of children, their intent is for society as a whole, a balancing force.
An "Atomic Clown" with a clock upon his nose recalls the Doomsday Clock which was begun in 1947 by the board of directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists at the University of Chicago, its purpose being to reflect events dangerous to humankind.
But Tony's "clock", set at about 1 or 2, would have nothing to do with the Doomsday Clock.
Below are several other images of Tony at work/play.
DDRS Record Details for Record Accession Number
"N1D0028958"
Accession Number N1D0028958
Document Number D-286-NEG
Alternate Document Number D-286-NEG
Title Description CLOWN WITH MONKEY
Document Date 04-Dec-2001
Public Availability Date 14-Feb-2002
DDRS Record Details for Record Accession Number
"N1D0028538"
Accession Number N1D0028538
Document Number D-1453-NEG
Alternate Document Number D-1453-NEG
Title Description ENTERTAINMENT AT HANFORD-CLOWN, CIRCA 1944
Document Date 04-Dec-2001
Public Availability Date 14-Feb-2002
DDRS Record Details for Record Accession Number
"N1D0054266"
Accession Number N1D0054266
Document Number 1355-50-NEG-C
Alternate Document Number 1355-50-NEG
Title Description TONY PRINCE AT WORK AND AS A CLOWN
Key Word(s) CLOWN,HANFORD SITE PERSONNEL,RECREATION,TONY PRINCE
Document Date 26-Sep-1950
Public Availability Date 14-Jun-2002
DDRS Record Details for Record Accession Number
"N1D0004736"
Accession Number N1D0004736
Document Number D-7255-NEG
Alternate Document Number D-7255-NEG
Title Description CLOWN
Document Date 04-Dec-2001
Public Availability Date 14-Feb-2002
Originally published on blog 2/13/2006.
