Francois Fratellini (1879-1951)

The 'poetic clown'.Postcard photo by Studio V. Henry.

Francois Fratellini was a member of the famous French/Italian circus family, The Fratellini Family, who performed in the late 1900s and 1920s. After appearing at the Circus Medrano in Paris, France, after World War I, they became so successful that it sparked a strong resurgence of interest in the circus. By 1923, the Fratellini brothers had become the darlings of the Parisian intellectuals. They were lauded in print and worshiped by adoring fans who would show up at the circus just in time for the Fratellini entree.He also appeared in the 1923 film The Clairvoyant with Sarah Bernhardt.