Not currently on display at the V&A

Commedia dell'Arte beaker

Beaker
1592-1635 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The image on this beaker features an image after an etching by the French artist Jacques Callot (1592-1635) of Commedia dell'Arte characters, probably Scaramucia and Fricasso. Commedia dell'Arte, or 'artistic comedy' was the popular improvised type of comedy which flourished in Italy from the 16th to the 18th centuries and had an impact on theatre throughout Europe, especially France. Commedia plays were acted along pre-arranged scenarios but relied on the performers' ability for improvisation and ensured their popularity with a mixture of knockabout comedy, acrobatic leaping and romantic interest.

Jacques Callot lived in Rome from 1608, and then in Florence from about 1612 where he was appointed to the court of Grand Duke Cosimo II in 1614, for whom he made numerous prints intended as official depictions of the various public festivities staged by the Medici Court. Callot had ample opportunity to make sketches of the entertainers participating in these events which later became source material for the Balli series, which Callot etched some time after he returned to his native Nancy. His most famous series of prints was entitled Balli di Sfessania, c.1622 showing dances known as the 'sfessania' which were characterised by violent contortions and gesticulations.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCommedia dell'Arte beaker (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Thrown and painted ceramic
Brief description
Beaker or jar illustrated with an image by Jacques Callot (1592-1635) of Commedia dell'Arte characters. Glazed earthenware, probably European.
Physical description
Glazed polychrome unlidded jar or beaker decorated with repeated images on either side of the Commedia dell'Arte figures Razullu and Cucurucu fighting each other on the grass, in a landscape setting. The base of the jar or beaker is bordered in a yellow floral pattern against a black ground. There is a narrow black line around the rim, and a yellow and black line around the foot.
Dimensions
  • Height: 8.5cm
  • Of base diameter: 5.8cm
  • Across top diameter: 7.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
Smudged blue mark and impressed mark resembling petals.
Credit line
Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996
Literary referenceComedia dell'Arte
Summary
The image on this beaker features an image after an etching by the French artist Jacques Callot (1592-1635) of Commedia dell'Arte characters, probably Scaramucia and Fricasso. Commedia dell'Arte, or 'artistic comedy' was the popular improvised type of comedy which flourished in Italy from the 16th to the 18th centuries and had an impact on theatre throughout Europe, especially France. Commedia plays were acted along pre-arranged scenarios but relied on the performers' ability for improvisation and ensured their popularity with a mixture of knockabout comedy, acrobatic leaping and romantic interest.

Jacques Callot lived in Rome from 1608, and then in Florence from about 1612 where he was appointed to the court of Grand Duke Cosimo II in 1614, for whom he made numerous prints intended as official depictions of the various public festivities staged by the Medici Court. Callot had ample opportunity to make sketches of the entertainers participating in these events which later became source material for the Balli series, which Callot etched some time after he returned to his native Nancy. His most famous series of prints was entitled Balli di Sfessania, c.1622 showing dances known as the 'sfessania' which were characterised by violent contortions and gesticulations.
Collection
Accession number
S.1077-1996

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Record createdApril 11, 2006
Record URL
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