Commedia dell'arte drawings

ca. 1800-1950s

Commedia dell'arte was a popular form of theater which began in Italy in the 16th century. It includes masked character types and stock scenarios. Performed outdoors on temporary stages, its performers utilized various props instead of elaborate scenery. Original color and black and white costume drawings, prints, lithographs, and mostly 19th century reproductions in French, Italian, English, Dutch, and German, of commedia dell'arte stock characters such as the Doctor, Harlequin, Pierrot, Pulcinella, and Scaramouche. There are also 24 panels of the Balli di Sfessania by Jacques Callot. Artists include Umberto Brunelleschi, Cenni, G. Gallina, Pietro Leone Ghezzi, Raphael Kirchner, Eugene Ladreyt, Andre-Edouard Marty, and Antoine Watteau. Nicolo Caccatrippa, Fanny Cerrito and Marc-Antoine Romagnesi are among the performers depicted in costume.