Scene from the Italian Comedy (recto); Figure Study (verso) Gm-00008201

Claude Gillot (French, 1673–1722) Figures appear to stand on a stage, while a masked Harlequin, the commedia dell'arte's leading character, sits at a table and lures a fashionable young lady into prostitution. As the young woman holds the doctor's hand, a young man across the room stares with a displeased expression. Other commedia dell'arte characters, the merchant Pantaloon and Mezzetin in his floppy hat, lend Harlequin their support.

Claude Gillot made this drawing as a design for an engraving in a book about one of his favorite subjects, the commedia dell'arte, a popular entertainment born in Italy and later embraced by the French. In the book, Gabriel Huquier's Théâtre italien, the scene is identified as "Arlequin grapignant," or "Harlequin as Procurer."

The drawing is characteristic of commedia dell'arte's tendency to satirize human folly and pretense. Gillot's dashing, shorthand penwork and the luminous red wash imbue the drawing with a lightheartedness that conveys the comical mood of action onstage.
"

We proudly offer the Archivea image archives as custom Note Cards printed on 100% Cotton

Recycled envelopes and protective wrap is included set of 6 cards.

All our images are digitized from the original negative at the muesum , printed and assembled by hand in Lugano, Switzerland to museum standards by our master printer.

Questions? Please email service@archivea.com

Artwork in this collection is from The J. Paul Getty Museum. Reproduction rights are reserved by the copyright owner and used under license by Archivea GmbH. .

.

We offer your logo to be printed on the back of each card included free with minimum order of 90 CHF/EU. All prices are to the trade retailers only with authorized CH or EU Vat number. "