CERAMIC FIGURE OF PULCINELLA FROM THE COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE.
Presumably Italy. 18th/19th century. Presumably after a model by Gaspero Bruschi.

white body; decorated in colours. On square base Pulcinella with large trousers; mask and high hat. In his left arm holding a pot with spaghetty and on his back a wooden box. Height 16.5cm.
Without visible marks. Condition B/C.

Provenance:
Private collection Rhiineland.

Literature:
Eckerman; Johann Peter: Gespr鋍he mit Goethe in den letzten Jahren seines Lebens; 11th
edition; Frankfurt am Main; 1981. Chapter 298; Sunday; 14th of February 1830.

The figure of the Pulcinella is one of the most loved figures of the Commedia dell'Arte.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was likewise amused by this stage character:
"Goethe sprach sodann 黚er den neapolitanischen Pulcinell. 籈in Hauptspa?dieser
niedrig-komischen Personnage? sagte er; 籦estand darin; da?er zuweilen auf der B黨ne
seine Rolle als Schauspieler auf einmal ganz zu vergessen schien. [...]
Der Pulcinell ist in der Regel eine Art lebendiger Zeitung. Alles; was den Tag 黚er sich
in Neapel Auffallendes zugetragen hat; kann man abends von ihm h鰎en. Diese
Lokalinteressen; verbunden mit dem niedern Volksdialekt; machen es jedoch dem Fremden fast
unm鰃lich; ihn zu verstehen ?" (Eckermann; Gespr鋍he mit Goethe; Sonntag; den 14. Februar
1830) ("Goethe spoke this about the Neapolitan Pulcinella. >> A major fun of this
low-comical character<<; he said; >>consisted in the fact that he sometimes seemed to
foget his role as an actor on the stage all of a sudden. [...] Usually the Pulcinella is
some sort of living newspaper. Everything noteworthy that has happened in Naples during
the day can be heard from him by night. These local interests in connection to the
low-society dialect; however; make it almost impossible for the foreigner to understand
him>>." (Eckermann; Gespr鋍he mit Goethe; Sunday; 14th of February 1830).Art trade; Van Ham.