Harlequin Was a Stock Character in Commedia Del Arte
Commedia dell'Arte Characters
Here is some background on the Commedia dell'Arte characters that many of the Venetian Masks designs are based on:
1. Zanni
Zanni is probably not the first grapheme that springs to listen when you call up of Commedia dell'Arte characters. That is because the Zanni character is seminal to many other characters in the Commedia dell'Arte theater, including Arlechino, Brighella, and Pulcinella. The proper noun 'Zanni' is a diminutive of Venetian name 'Giovanni' (John) and we become our English discussion 'zany' from this, which gives you an idea of the nature of this character! The Zanni character was a buffoon or clown and known in those days as a simpleton or 'stupid incompetent fool'!
This graphic symbol was drawn from the lower classes of the time, the peasant or migrant worker who worked in Venetian social club equally a servant, valet or porter. Sometimes also equally an odd chore person or bell-ringer.
The term Zanni therefore refers to a class of mask although in some cases was a specific character as well. This clown was an important aspect of Commedia dell'Arte theatre, representing the peasant class of society. Zanni reflected the role of the Bergamo peasants, who at that fourth dimension were facing a famine in the rural areas they lived in due to cheaper imports from Greece (sound familiar?) subsequently their region was conquered by the Venetian army in the early on 1400'southward. They flooded in to the urban cities such every bit Venice, offering themselves for whatever work they could notice and eeking out a living in anyway they could. In their favour, they were famous for their nimbleness and agility on the positive side and on the other side - their crudeness. Overlaid on all of this was their fantastic dialect and manner of speaking - these traits formed the basis of an important character in Commedia dell'Arte.
In the early on days of Commedia dell'Arte, the Zanni mask used in the theatre was a total face mask with a long olfactory organ. It developed from hither into a half mask covering the upper half of the face just with an extended, long nose. The longer the nose on the mask, so the more than stupid was the grapheme.
The costume of the Zanni graphic symbol reinforced for the audition the nature of this character. Unremarkably dressed in sacking and hunched over through carrying heavy loads as a porter, with knees in a 'bowed' position and feet splayed apart. This was in sharp contrast to the aristocracy characters in the Commedia dell'Arte who ever carried themselves with cock deportment. Zanni was always highly animated, waving arms and gesticulating with hands when speaking in a coarse style with erratic body movements thrown in! Some Zanni characters were known for their acrobatic feats, including hand-stands and flips. Others displayed their roots and were constantly ravenously hungry (coming from a famine in their home towns) simply their coarseness as well introduced mirth into the theatre with farting, burping and resounding snoring.
ii. Pantalone
Pantalone is a well known Commedia dell'Arte character. The original proper name of this character was an old human being named "Magnifico". He spoke in plain, withal musical Venetian dialect. The original proper noun soon gave way to the more well known "Pantalone". In that location are numerous interpretations about the origin of this name. It is said that it derives from San Pantalone, one of the Saints venerated in the city of Venice. A Venetian church building is even named afterward San Pantalone.
Some other possible origin is the term "piantaleoni", a name used for the merchants who opened their stalls in conquered lands and symbolically "planted" the Lion of St Mark to extend the power of the city of Venice through merchandise. The graphic symbol Pantelone is of course an erstwhile merchant, and then information technology does requite some credence to this theory.
Other theories are that the name pre-dates this era and goes dorsum to the Greek expression significant "powerful in all things".
Pantalone's character is generally an old merchant, often wealthy and esteemed, at other times completely ruined, even so e'er an quondam man in every detail, with business skills. His mask typically highlighted his physical characteristics including a hooked nose and prominent eyebrows.
Scan through the Italy Mask "Traditional" selection to run into if nosotros currently accept a Pantalone mask in stock.
3. Il Dottore (The Doctor)
Il Dottore in Commedia dell'Arte is usually dressed in the traditional style of a medieval physician, with a huge blackness accommodate, frequently with a ruff and a notary's beret or big dr.'s cap. He wears a mask over half of his face that highlights his bulbous olfactory organ.
Il Dottore is a comic personage originally from "well-fed and learned" Bologna. He is a 'medico' only in name and is depicted at times as a learned physician and at other times equally a notary or lawyer.
Scan through the Italy Mask "Traditional" selection to come across if we currently have an "Il Dottore" mask in stock.
4. Arlecchino (Harlequin)
The Arlecchino mask is one of the nigh popular masks in the Commedia dell'Arte serial. Information technology was traditionally worn by the character Arlecchino (Harlequin in English) who was cast every bit a bit of a dim-wit, silly, simple minded person and perpetually hungry, again, in the Zanni genre.
Arlecchino is one of the youngest characters of the comedy and the use of this character in the Commedia dell'Arte has been traced back to as early on as 1593.
Arlecchino's usual role is that of a faithful valet or servant, simply in this context he is also the clown, the acrobat providing lots of comic relief! Equally soon every bit this character appears on stage there is ever lots of laughter at his absurd actions and words, alternate between flashes of luminescence and plain idiocy. Y'all tin't predict which will manifest itself at any fourth dimension! This is overlaid with wit and charm, as well as scheming to meet his own objectives.
While undertaking errands for his master or pursuing a pretty lady (or both!) he gets into all manner of strife. He employs every technique he can to achieve his objectives, including pretending to exist a soldier or a woman. His absent mindedness is legendary and he can be looking for the chair he is sitting on or completely sidetracked past a pretty lady, money or food! All the while, his boundless energy is causing his supple trunk to undertake somersaults, handstands, cartwheels and all sorts of acrobatic feats! Understandably, he was loved past audiences.
Arlecchino's costume usually comprised a jacket and trousers with colorful and irregular patches, with a white felt chapeau with a rabbit or fox tail and a belt with a wooden spatula (or 'slap stick'). This was used to stir polenta or sometimes to slap another person, a parcel, baggage, food or other items belonging to someone else!
Arlecchino's mask has a puggish nose, sometimes a bump on his brow and usually with devilish and feline features. He is truly a colorful graphic symbol!
Scan through the Italian republic Mask "Traditional" pick to run into if we currently have an "Arlecchino" mask in stock.
five. Pulcinella
The Pulcinella mask in the Commedia dell'Arte theater is reputed to have originated from the south of Italy (Campagnia), a region boasting a wealth of comic traditions.
Pulcinella's physical advent in the theater often resembled that of a cockerel. His mask with a beaked olfactory organ is thought to have given rise to his name, either from the Latin 'pullus gallinaceus' or from a dialect corruption of 'pullicino' (young chick).
Regardless, his large nose, squeaky voice, clownish ways gave rise to him being cast as a charlatan, lazy bones, tumbler and acrobat. The Pulcinella character appeared in many acts of the Commedia dell'Arte and it was this grapheme that prompted Giandonmenico Teipolo to paint him on the walls and ceilings of the Villa Zianigo in Venice.
We commonly accept a number of Pulcinella masks in stock. Review our option of Traditional Venetian Masks at present.
6. Colombina
Colombina is usually bandage as a mischievous maid in the Commedia dell'Arte, a comic but non e'er virtuous effigy with a best friend (and sometimes lover) of Arlecchino.
Her costume is commonly simple, representing what maids wore in the 1700s. She sometimes wore colorful patches (like Arlecchino) set off by a minor white gage and an apron of the same color.
Colombina is translated into English every bit "little Dove" and the masks in this range are without exception purely "Eye Masks", just covering the eyes and exposing the oral fissure so that the wearer is able to eat and drink freely. This pattern is said to have originated considering of the graphic symbol Colombina's vanity and non wanting to obscure too much of her beauty with a mask.
These masks form the ground of a big number of variants all based on the Colombina Eye Mask, simply are now available in feather, leather, jolly, baroque, metal filigree and macrame / lace.
Considering of their utility to be worn at masked events, such equally masquerade balls, these masks are the virtually popular Masquerade Mask.
Browse through our collection of 150 Colombina Masks now - there will be i there that is only right for yous.
7. Il Capitano (The Captain)
Il Capitano's character in Commedia dell'Arte is usually a vainglorious, deceitful and braggart soldier, dressed in a vivid and colorful uniform. This was usually a adapt with multi-colored stripes and gilt buttons, a feathered cap and a large sword with several rust marks or even some cobwebs! His part usually involves him boasting of great exploits of war, just he is also the subject of pranks and jokes from the other characters. He sometimes responds to this by unsheathing his sword, but the simply blood that is ever spilt is his own!
eight. Brighella
Brighella is cast as a shrewd servant in the Commedia dell'Arte in the 'Zanni' genre. 1 of his specialties for this role are the tricks and pranks that he plays on other characters and is sometimes likewise an expert musician, singing and playing the guitar. This meddlesome, greedy and astute servant is besides a ruffian, ready to satisfy even the meanest desires of his master. He is normally totally unscrupulous and ready for any craft.
His costume is that of a servant, just usually with several short green stripes on a white groundwork on both shirt and trousers. He sometimes likewise wears a cloak and a cap with light-green stripes.
For some reason, Brighella's popularity was partly eclipsed in the Commedia dell'Arte by Arlecchino, who became much more popular with audiences.
Source: https://www.italymask.co.nz/About+Masks/Commedia+dellArte+Characters.html
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