Figure of the Day: Il Comico, 1850-1900

Il Comico
Italy, 1850-1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This ceramic figurine depicts a gent wearing a black mask in the style of the Italian Commedia dell’Arte.  Most likely, it was produced in the second half of the Nineteenth Century, since it appears  to be one of a set representing various characters from the “Artistic Comedy.”

The character depicted here may be the “Comico,” or comical character, who often wore brightly colored clothes to stand apart from the rest of the characters.   Il Comico’s function was both as a member of the cast and a character who talked directly to the audience, serving as a narrator to interpret the action.

The piece, and its brothers and sisters, was made in Italy sometime between 1850 and 1900.