Homage to a beloved clown and artist

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A portrait of Dimitri in 1961 (RDB/ATP/Rutishause) RDB

Pre-show primping, 2007 (RDB/Kurt Meier) RDB

With Czech filmmaker Jiri Menzel in Ascona in 1972 RDB

Scenes from his Porteur act, first performed in 1962 Yves Burdet/clowndimitri.ch

Dimitri and his children at the Kleintheater on Kramgasse in Bern, 1970 (Keystone/Photopress) Keystone

Performing his Ritratto piece (Rémy Steinegger/clowndimitri.ch) Christian Altdorfer/clowndimitri.ch

Backstage over-the-shoulder view, 1970 RDB

Dimitri and Marcel Marceau met for the first time in 1958 in Paris. Pictured here in 2005 (Keystone/Karl Mathys) Keystone

Dimitri opened his own theatre school in Verscio, canton Ticino, in 1975. (Keystone/Gaetan Bally) Keystone

The Dimitri family, with children Masha, David, Nina and son-in-law Kai Leclerc performing in New York in 2009 Keystone

Dimitri in the Samuel Beckett piece Krapp’s Last Tape, 2005 (Wolf Fischer/clowndimitri.ch) Wolf Fischer/clowndimitir.ch

In 1970, 1973 and 1979, Dimitri toured with Circus Knie. (Keystone) Keystone

Roberto and Dimitri singing traditional Ticino songs. They produced three records together. (clowndimitri.ch) clowndimitri.ch

Rehearsing at the Theatre des Vieux Colombiers in Paris, 1964 Keystone

Dimitri speaking at an anti-apartheid demonstration in 1988 Keystone

In 1965 (RDB/ATP/Cahppuis) RDB

Dimitri with his wife Gunda on March 23, 2016 Keystone

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The national treasure from canton Ticino died unexpectedly on July 19, 2016. Just two days before, the 80-year-old had performed on Monte Verità near Locarno.

Born in Ascona in 1935, Dimitri already knew he wanted to be a clown at age seven. After an apprenticeship as a potter, he studied acrobatics, ballet, music, acting and pantomime. He won many awards for his artistry.