Commedia dell'Arte figurine
Figurine
20th century (made)
20th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This figurine of Razullo was produced by the Meissen factory in the Dresden area of Germany, established in 1706 and famous for being the first European factory to discover the secret of producing hard-paste porcelain. It was modelled after a Johann Kaendler figure of 1758. Kaendler was the talented sculptor who worked for Meissen specialising in figures, groups, and wonderfully modelled wreaths of flowers, clusters of fruit and swinging Cupids, executed in the round.
Kaendler (1706-1775) modelled this figure after an etching by Jacques Callot (1592-1635) from a series of prints entitled Balli di Sfessania, c.1622, showing dances known as the 'sfessania', characterised by violent contortions and gesticulations. Callot's etching depicts the Commedia dell'Arte characters Razullo and Cucurucu in the foreground with a performance on stage behind them. Razullo plays on a long-necked stringed instrument while Cucurucu dances. The museum owns the pair to this figure, that of Cucurucu (S.886-1981).
Kaendler (1706-1775) modelled this figure after an etching by Jacques Callot (1592-1635) from a series of prints entitled Balli di Sfessania, c.1622, showing dances known as the 'sfessania', characterised by violent contortions and gesticulations. Callot's etching depicts the Commedia dell'Arte characters Razullo and Cucurucu in the foreground with a performance on stage behind them. Razullo plays on a long-necked stringed instrument while Cucurucu dances. The museum owns the pair to this figure, that of Cucurucu (S.886-1981).
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Commedia dell'Arte figurine (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Glazed porcelain |
| Brief description | Polychrome glazed figurine of Razullo from the Commedia dell'arte, Meissen porcelain, 20th century, after a Johann Kaendler figure of 1758. Harry R. Beard Collection |
| Physical description | Figurine of a man dressed in a purple body suit with pale yelllow cuffs and a row of large moulded buttons down the front, and red shoes. He is wearing a half mask with an exaggerated red nose. He leans back against a tree stump, looking up and to his left, and plays a long-necked stringed instrument, plucking the strings with his left hand. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Harry R. Beard Collection, given by Isobel Beard |
| Production | After a Johann Kaendler figure of 1758 which was modelled on an engraving from Jacques Callot's Balli di Sfessania' series, ca.1622. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Literary reference | Commedia dell'Arte |
| Summary | This figurine of Razullo was produced by the Meissen factory in the Dresden area of Germany, established in 1706 and famous for being the first European factory to discover the secret of producing hard-paste porcelain. It was modelled after a Johann Kaendler figure of 1758. Kaendler was the talented sculptor who worked for Meissen specialising in figures, groups, and wonderfully modelled wreaths of flowers, clusters of fruit and swinging Cupids, executed in the round. Kaendler (1706-1775) modelled this figure after an etching by Jacques Callot (1592-1635) from a series of prints entitled Balli di Sfessania, c.1622, showing dances known as the 'sfessania', characterised by violent contortions and gesticulations. Callot's etching depicts the Commedia dell'Arte characters Razullo and Cucurucu in the foreground with a performance on stage behind them. Razullo plays on a long-necked stringed instrument while Cucurucu dances. The museum owns the pair to this figure, that of Cucurucu (S.886-1981). |
| Associated object | S.886-1981 (Object) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.887-1981 |
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| Record created | January 12, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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