Print of the Day: Pulcinella, 1622

Pulliciniello (Pulcinella)
Jacques Callot, 1622
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Despite the rather queer spelling of the inscription, Pulliciniello (which can be forgiven since words foreign to Britain were usually spelled phonetically in the Seventeenth Century), we know this print depicts the Commedia dell’Arte character Pulcinella—the forebear of our Mr. Punch. 


The print, published in 1622, is based on an original drawing by Jacques Callot (1592-1635). 

Figure of the Day: Harlequin with a Bird Cage, 1743

Hard-Paste Porcelain Figure of Harlequin
Meissen, 1743
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Modeled by the famed Johann Joachim Kändler (1706-1775) for the Meissen Porcelain Factory in Germany, this figure of Harlequin is crafted of hard-paste porcelain. The impish character from the Commedia dell’Arte is depicted seated on a grass-topped rock upon which a bird cage is resting. In his hand, he holds a green bird. However, at his feet is a crouching cat—not a good sign for the bird.

Such figures were made, as this one was, in the Eighteenth Century to adorn the dining tables of luxurious households during the dessert course. A renewed interest in these figures developed during the Victorian era. Many members of Britain’s upper-classes, including the Royal Family, collected these Eighteenth Century figures, actually spurring the creation of then-new figurines in the same style.

Object of the Day: Mr. Punch and Pretty Polly Scraps

Click on image to climb inside those comfy wooden shoes, too.
Not really.  But, you'll get a bigger image.  

I found these two tucked into a pile of trade cards. They, I think, were once a part of a trade card themselves, but, now, they’re best called scraps. So, who have we here? Well, certainly the chap is Mr. Punch or, more accurately a child dressed as Mr. Punch. Who’s his companion? A girl, rather uncomfortably dressed in a Commedia dell’Arte-inspired costume. Sure, they could be Pulcinella and Columbine, but I prefer to think of them as Punch and Pretty Polly. 

Now, as children dressed in Venetian Carnival costume tend to do, they’re standing in wooden shoes and toasting one another with champagne. Yeah, I don’t know. It’s a sort of multi-cultural mishmash. It’s a little bit Dutch, a little Italian, a little French—and, typically American. 

So, what’s this all about? On the reverse—when you put the two shoes side by side—you seem the remnants of an old ink stamp, torn away by being glued into an album. It seems these two little folks were once part of a trade card advertising for a Newark, new Jersey-based toy shop. 

And, that explains a lot.

Sculpture of the Day: The Ivory Pulcinella, 1750

Ivory Pulcinella
Technically, "Polizinell"
Germany, 1750The Victoria and Albert Museum

Here’s something peculiar. This ivory figure of a dancer clearly represents Pulcinella, but, he’s not the work of an Italian sculptor. He comes from Germany, c. 1750. The figure is delicately rendered in a fantastic costume, a conical hat and a ballet skirt.

So, how did this character from the traditional Italian Commedia dell' Arte come to be rendered by a German artist? He was already known in France as Puchinelle and in England as Punchinello or Mr. Punch (first recorded in Britain on May 9th, 1662 by Samuel Pepys). The first sighting of our hero in Germany came in 1649. He was spotted in Nuremberg where he was called “Polizinell.” This was performed by a splashy Maltese showman called Blasius Manfredi who, that same year, had the acquaintance of the Franco/Italian showman known as Brioche who was first noted as performing 'Polichinelle' in Paris. So, they’re all connected.

As we celebrate Mr. Punch’s three hundred fifty-second birthday, it’s important to remember the minor moments over the last three centuries that led to his widespread, global fame. This little ivory figure which could so easily be dismissed is just one tiny piece of the puzzle.

The figure was given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, F. S. A. to the V&A where it remains along with a host of other historical items, each of which—when assembled—spell out the Punch family tree and history. Notably, from 1971 to 1977, the figure was on display at the Clawning Castle in Nottingham, England. Prior to 1971, it lived for an unknown time at King George IV’s Brighton Pavilion. How George IV came to own it is unknown.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Figure by Samson et Cie, c. 1845

Il Capitano
Hard-paste Porcelain Figure by Samson et Cie, Paris, 1845
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This figurine of glazed hard-paste porcelain was produced by the Samson factory in Paris which was founded in 1845 by Edmé Samson. The figure depicts “the Captain,” a character from the Commedia dell'Arte.  The Captain, or “Il Capitano,” was among the stock characters of Commedia dell'Arte.  The swaggering character was a satire on the military profession.  The bragging Captain, if he ever really was a Captain, held the post a long time in the past. This obnoxious figure was portrayed as a boastful figure with a rakish moustache and dark beard. The Captain was originally conceived as Italian, however, he was depicted as Spanish during the period of Spanish domination of Italy.

This ceramic figurine of the bearded boaster shows him leaning slightly forward, his left arm in the air at shoulder height with his hand to his chest. His right hand is held out to the side at waist height. He wears a large, tan, wide-brimmed hat , a close-fitting white jacket and trousers and has a taupe cape over his shoulders. He wears black shoes with foppish gold buckles and stands on a circular rococo-style swirly-edged base with gilt decoration.

Unfolding Pictures: The Triumph of Harlequin Fan, 1750

Triumph of Harlequin
Fan, 1750
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A beautiful watercolor on kid leather leaf is mounted on carved and pierced mother-of-pearl sticks which are inlaid with silver-gilt foils and yellow gold. This is the “Triumph of Harlequin” Fan and it dates to 1750. It was, most likely, made as a souvenir of Venice’s Carnival.


In the Eighteenth Century, visitors from all over Europe flocked to the Carnival in Venice. Depicted are the distinctively costumed figures associated with the celebrated Italian theatre troupe the Commedia dell’Arte. These costumes were often reproduced for people to wear during Carnival when whole of Venice was transformed into a costumed masquerade.

The painting on the fan leaf is extremely fine and delicate—both front and reverse. Speaking of the reverse, this side shows a naval scene. A tall ship lies anchored by a dark cliff with a glowing sunset behind. It’s decidedly an Italian take on the Eighteenth-Century French art of fan-making.

Masterpiece of the Day: Fête Champêtre with Italian Comedians, 1720-1730

Fête Champêtre with Italian Comedians
Pater, 1720-1730
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Hello all, my apologies, but we'll have to go one more week without "Mr. Punch's Puzzles."  Once my schedule settles down a bit, we'll return to our normal activities.  In the meantime, let's take a look at another discovery from the Royal Collection with this gorgeous oil on canvas work by Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Pater (1695-1736).  The painting, titled Fête Champêtre with Italian Comedians, was created between 1720 and 1730.

The piece was thought to have belonged to George III or Queen Charlotte, but later research shows that it was more likely purchased by George IV in or before 1806.

This handsome and brilliantly-colored work shows a scene from the Commedia dell'Arte tradition which gave us Mr. Punch.  Here, we see Scaramouche dressed in red.  He's advancing upon the scene from the right under a columned archway, his eyes fixed upon a troupe of actors and actresses who lounge in the shade beneath the trees.  To the right of them, a masked Harlequin is courting a young lady while Pierrot stands in the center of the scene.

Print of the Day: Le Ieu Mestier Devine, early Nineteenth Century

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Another treasure from the Royal Collection, this engraving, entitled "Le Ieu Mestier Devine," is the work of Nicholas de Larmessin and was published at the Rue St Jacques à la Pomme d'Or, near St Severin, Paris (publisher) in the early Nineteenth Century.

The piece depicts at Commedia dell'Arte play in which three men fall out from under a cloth which is being held by Arlequin and Scaramouche. The doctor, a stock commedia character, on left, watches with amazement. Below the scene, French verses explain what's happening.

Painting of the Day: Young Man Playing the Violin, c. 1750

Young Man with Violin
From the "Scaramouche Parlour" at Belvedere House
Andien De Clermont, c. 1750
The Victoria & Albert Museum

If you were a wealthy land owner in Britain in the Eighteenth Century (rather as it is now—anywhere), you wanted the people around you to know just how rich and prosperous you were. Your house, your carriage, your horses, your clothes, your jewels—these were all status symbols. But, the real indicator of wealth was your ability to decorate your house. The more you could spend on your interiors, the better you looked. And, the real icing on the decorating cake was the paintings you displayed in your home. Portraits—sure, they were great. But, the best thing of all was to commission a painting of your family in your home. And, even better—a mural, right there on the wall, forever.

Of course, even mural painting was subject to levels or pretension. If you could get a foreign painter—you were the top dog! Painters from France, Italy and the Netherlands were brought into the stately homes of England to adorn the walls with scenes from mythology, allegorical motifs, fantastic designs and bucolic views—most of which would incorporate the visages of the homeowner and his family.

Here we see one such mural which was carefully removed from its original location. Thankfully, the murals were painted on canvas which had been applied to the walls, conveniently allowing them to be removed two centuries later. This is one of a series of 16 panels which were commissioned by Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, in 1742 to decorate the “Scaramouche Parlour” in his house, Belvedere, in Kent. Each of the panels depicted scenes from the Italian Commedia dell'Arte and showcase the knock-about comedy’s most famous characters: Capitano, Arlecchino, Pulcinella (who, as we know, inspired the English Punch), Pedrolino (later Pierrot) and Colombine. 

The mural group is the work of Andien de Clermont (active 1716-1783), a French artist who arrived in Britain in 1716. Clermont was, certainly, the most avant-garde and highly-inventive decorative artist working in Britain during the Rococo period.

This mural sets the scene for the antics of Pulcinella and his friends. An unnamed young man is depicted playing the violin. He stands in profile in the foreground of a landscape with a grand building showing in the background. To his right are two dancing figures. The whole is en-framed by foliage border.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Scaramouche and Columbine, 1740

Scaramouche and Columbine
Meissen Porcelain Factory
Germany, 1740
The Victoria & Albert Museum

I’ve always enjoyed Meissen porcelain figures and I’m especially fond of the work of one of their chief modelers, Johann Joachim Kändler (1706-1775) who was responsible for a monumental and diverse range of figures.

In my opinion, some of the most attractive of Kändler’s figures were those which he based on the Commedia dell’Arte. These porcelain figurines and groups were made, in many cases, for export to France where, in the Seventeenth Century, the fashion for adoring the dining table with porcelain figures during the dessert course was especially en vogue. This figure group depicts the Commedia dell’Arte characters of Scaramouche and Columbine. Made in 1740, the figures of hard-paste porcelain shows the famed couple embracing. Columbine holds a bird cage, showing how Scaramouche has captured her heart. The pair of lovers is brilliant with enamel colors in blue, red, gray, yellow, turquoise and white.

Drawing of the Day: La Gran Tragedie di Ariosto, 19th C.

Non e un si bello in tante altre persone, Natura il fece, e poi roppa la stampa.

(There never was such beauty in another man. Nature made him, and then broke the mould.)

                --From "Orlando Furioso" by Ludovico Ariosto

La Gran Tragedie di Ariosto
Naples, Nineteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This illustration comes from Naples and dates to the Nineteenth Century. It’s remarkable to me in that it shows the development of the The Punch and Judy tradition. As we know, Mr. Punch came to the U.K. from Italy where he had his roots in the Italian character, “Pulcinella.” 

The drawing depicts a Pulcinella-type show, however, we can clearly see that the puppets, to me, more so resemble the look of the popular Nineteenth Century Mr. Punch than they do Pulcinella. So popular was Punch that many Italian “Professors” styled their own puppets after the British Red Nose as opposed to their own masked Pulcinella.  

I can't say for certain that this crowd in Naples is watching a variation of a Pulcinella character.  The puppet on the left's costume is that of Arlecchino or "Harlequin." However, I would like to note that he clearly exhibits Mr. Punch's attribute of a humpback--not something usually associated with Harlequin. 

The title of the performance (as depicted on the front of the fit-up) is "la gran tragedie di Ariosto.” The title refers to “Orlando Furioso,” an epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto. This poem was a popular subject for traveling puppet shows.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Pulcinella Mask, c. 1670-1700

Leather Mask of Pulcinella
Naples, Italy, Late Seventeenth to Early Eighteenth Centuries
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the Seventeenth Century, street performers, pantomime actors, opera stars and puppeteers across Europe were, unbeknownst to each other, developing a set of common characters who would eventually join into one great satirical genre populated by stock characters which endure to this day. While these characters still retain their individual identities in their countries of origin, they all married to produce, in Britain, Mr. Punch and his companions.

The main source for Mr. Punch, as we know, is his Italian cousin, Pulcinella from the Commedia dell’arte who not only gave birth to Punch, but also lent some of his puppet DNA to France’s pig-tailed Guignol. We must remember, however, that before these little fellows (with the exception of Guignol who was born as and remained a puppet) initially strutted for the delight of society as masked human actors in a tradition that is still enjoyed today.

This molded leather mask is from an Italian Commedia dell'arte troupe which performed in Naples around 1700. This black mask is immediately recognizable as that of Pulcinella. In fact he still wears a similar mask.

Pulcinella was initially portrayed as a dimwitted servant, known for his big beaky nose, hunchback, distended stomach and a prominent wart on his forehead. By the time he became Mr. Punch, he had had his wart removed and lost the black mask, but the other characteristics remained. As the Seventeenth Century progressed, the character of Pulcinella became more well-rounded. By the time this mask was made and used, he was not necessarily a servant, but rather a trickster peasant, a dentist (like his cousin, Guignol), a physician, a painter or a soldier.

As Pulcinella changed, the mask also changed. The earliest versions of the mask featured a moustache and beard which served to obscure most of the actor's face. But, by the time Pulcinella reached Britain where he would become Punchinello, and ultimately, Mr. Punch, the character donned a half-mask like this one.

Curiously, as Italian performers of the period traveled to England to seek new audiences, the retained some of the old Commedia dell'arte characters, creating a type of early pantomime called a “harlequinade” (which is great with ice on a warm day). But, Pulcinella was not among them. He, in typical Punchinello fashion broke out on his own. Ever the independent spirit, Punchinello was a star in his own right and the English embraced his shocking and amusing antics, calling him “Mr. Punch” and making him the voice of the people. Mr. Punch introduced new versions of some of the traditional stock characters, assigning them characteristics and roles which better suited his own story.

Drawing of the Day: The Cornelli Countryman, 1905

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This costume design by Attilio Comelli was intended for the role of a countryman or peasant in a production of : The Prodigal Son” in London, 1905. The design depicts a man dressed from head to toe in pink with a “gnome style” hat and a mask that covers his forehead and nose—Pulcinella-style. He dons a knee-length coat with a waistcoat and a large bow tie, striped trousers and horizontal striped hosiery and shoes.

Comelli’s design in pencil and watercolor on board is clearly rooted in the tradition of the Italian Commedia dell’Arte. The production opened in September of 1905 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Figure of the Day: Mezzetin, 1764

Figure of Mezzetin
Germany, 1764
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This hard-paste  porcelain and enamel figure by Wenzel Neu (1707-1774) was made in Thuringia, Germany for the Kloster-Veilsdorg Porcelain Factory.  It depicts “Mezzetin,” a character from the Commedia dell'arte holding a palette in one hand, to which he points with the other hand.

Mezzetin is shown in his traditional costume of a cloak coat, breeches and cap of yellow stripes with green, a white ruff collar and red shoes.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Screaming Monkey Harlequin, c. 1740

Meissen  Porcelain Figurine
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This figure of Harlequin is rendered in hard-paste porcelain which has been painted in enamels. Made by Johann Joachim Kändler around 1740 for Germany’s Meissen Porcelain Factory,  Harlequin leans against a stump with a monkey held behind his right knee.  He seems to be using the monkey as some sort of instrument.  He’s pulling the screaming monkey's tail with his right hand while playing a pipe which is held in his left hand.  A screaming monkey was apparently the unofficial musical sponsor of the Eighteenth Century.  I kid, of course, but I’ve seen a good many works of art which involve monkeys in musical agony.

This is one of a set of Commedia dell’Arte figures by Kändler.  Many of the figures depicts Harlequin in various, brightly colored outfits.  Here, he is wearing a grey hat with a turquoise rosette, a white ruff, a lozenge-“diapered” jacket in red, blue and yellow with trousers with plum colored stripes, yellow shoes and blue rosettes. The base of the figure is embellished with flowers and leaves in colors which match Harlequin’s suit.

Figure of the Day: The Höchst Pierrot, 1750

Figure of Pierrot
Germany, 1750
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Höchst, Germany, in 1750, this hard-paste porcelain figure depicts Pierrot on a gilt-edged plinth near a tree stump. Bent-kneed Pierrot is leaning backwards a bit. He wears the brim of his black hat upturned, patches adorning his face. A turquoise jacket with gilt detail contrasts his white collar. Unlike most pierrots, he’s not in the traditional white pajamas with black buttons, but, instead wears a costume more akin to that of Harlequin with a lozenge-pattern. He’s playing cards—as pierrots do.

The underside of the piece is marked with “I E” and “G.” The whole is painted in brilliant enamels.

Drawing of the Day: A Puppet Showman, Seventeenth Century

A Puppet Showman
Jean Berain
1640-1711
The British Museum

This work of watercolor is one of a series of eight which depicted Commedia dell’Arte characters.  Attributed to Jean Berain (after a century of being attributed to Marcellus Laroon II), the series dates between 1640-1711.  It’s likely that these drawings were made as studies for larger-scale paintings.  We do know that the series was used as inspiration for a set of engravings which were published in the Eighteenth Century.  

The image above depicts a puppet showman posed on a platform.  He holds a wand or flute to which he points and is costumed in a wide-brimmed hat, a doublet, petticoat breeches and a pink cloak.  Curiously, he wears a necklace of teeth around his neck.  We see behind him, his fit-up and two puppets.  They are, of course, Mr. Punch and his wife, Judy.

The British Museum acquired the series in 1852.

Painting of the Day: Young Man Playing the Violin, c. 1750

Young Man with Violin
From the "Scaramouche Parlour" at Belvedere House
Andien De Clermont, c. 1750
The Victoria & Albert Museum

If you were a wealthy land owner in Britain in the Eighteenth Century (rather as it is now—anywhere), you wanted the people around you to know just how rich and prosperous you were. Your house, your carriage, your horses, your clothes, your jewels—these were all status symbols. But, the real indicator of wealth was your ability to decorate your house. The more you could spend on your interiors, the better you looked. And, the real icing on the decorating cake was the paintings you displayed in your home. Portraits—sure, they were great. But, the best thing of all was to commission a painting of your family in your home. And, even better—a mural, right there on the wall, forever.

Of course, even mural painting was subject to levels or pretension. If you could get a foreign painter—you were the top dog! Painters from France, Italy and the Netherlands were brought into the stately homes of England to adorn the walls with scenes from mythology, allegorical motifs, fantastic designs and bucolic views—most of which would incorporate the visages of the homeowner and his family.

Here we see one such mural which was carefully removed from its original location. Thankfully, the murals were painted on canvas which had been applied to the walls, conveniently allowing them to be removed two centuries later. This is one of a series of 16 panels which were commissioned by Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, in 1742 to decorate the “Scaramouche Parlour” in his house, Belvedere, in Kent. Each of the panels depicted scenes from the Italian Commedia dell'Arte and showcase the knock-about comedy’s most famous characters: Capitano, Arlecchino, Pulcinella (who, as we know, inspired the English Punch), Pedrolino (later Pierrot) and Colombine. 

The mural group is the work of Andien de Clermont (active 1716-1783), a French artist who arrived in Britain in 1716. Clermont was, certainly, the most avant-garde and highly-inventive decorative artist working in Britain during the Rococo period.

This mural sets the scene for the antics of Pulcinella and his friends. An unnamed young man is depicted playing the violin. He stands in profile in the foreground of a landscape with a grand building showing in the background. To his right are two dancing figures. The whole is en-framed by foliage border.

Sculpture of the Day: The Commedia dell'Arte Doctor, 1850

The Doctor
Italy, c. 1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Here, we see a glazed figurine which depicts a grey-mustached Commedia dell'Arte character, most likely the Doctor. He has donned an elongated, brimmed maroon hat, a cream neck ruff, a black doublet and hose, with a black cape that is lined in yellow. He takes a foppish stance, with his left hand on his waist, and his right hand at his side. He is holding a roll of documents. His pedestal is decorated with two comedy masks and very rococo style shell-like patterns.


This figurine was probably manufactured in the second half of the Nineteenth Century, and is one of a set representing various characters from the Italian the Commedia dell'Arte. The Doctor, or Dottore, was traditionally portrayed as a pompous scholar from Bologna, and was essentially an academic version of the greedy Pantalone. He spoke in a haughty manner peppered with malapropisms and gibberish. This stock character was adopted into the Punch & Judy tradition and remains a part of the mythology of Mr. Punch to this day.