The idea of a comedian representing another self began to take shape as early as the 1990s.But it wasn't until the end of the decade that a character developed from this. For my master's thesis, I designed Colombino and used him in a hand-drawn animation. After that, the little guy disappeared from my consciousness for a long time, as I was occupied with many other topics and he only appeared on various logos for my freelance work.It wasn't until years later, when I was leafing through my old sketches, that I came across Colombino again. I decided to bring him back to life and began to develop his story further.Colombino, this lovable clown, was not only meant to be a symbol of fun, but also of the deeper search for one's own self and the balance between seriousness and lightness in life.

His appearance is based on Pierrot, a world-renowned classic theater and pantomime character, particularly known as the melancholic, sad "white clown." His roots lie in the 16th-century Italian Commedia dell'arte, where the character was called Pedrolino (little Peter). This character was made famous by the French mime and actor Jean-Louis Barrault, who is especially known for his portrayal of the historical figure Baptiste Deburau in the award-winning film classic "Children of Paradise."

The name "Colombino" originally refers to a female character from the Commedia dell'arte, whose real name was "Colombina." Originally, it was an Italian given name derived from "colomba," meaning "dove." However, since the character embodied the artist's alter ego, she exchanged her dress for trousers and became a jester.

The transformation into a child is inspired by the magical world of childlike playfulness. This word describes a lighthearted, curious, and imaginative attitude that breaks free from the serious worries and constraints of adult life. Unlike the often mocking "childish," which suggests immaturity, "childlike" is a state of innocence, openness, and pure joy of life!