Pulcinella

Pulcinella ( Neapolitan: Pulecenella, French Policinelle or polychinelle ) is originally a figure of the southern Italian and Neapolitan folk theater.

History

From Southern Italy from the mask of Pulcinella with the touring companies of the Commedia dell'arte spread gradually to the north. However, it is believed that it has Roman ( pre-) origins in the figure of the Muccus Atellanentheaters. At the same time emerged from this figure related masks. In German-speaking about influence and he served as the model for the figures buffoon, Kasper in German or Punch in the Viennese popular theater in England for Punch and Jack Pudding Jan Klaassen in the Netherlands, Mester Jockel in Denmark or Petrushka in Russia. From the 17th century, however, this figure pales and more and more will be displaced from the stage.

Name

The name means " little chick " (Italian pulcino for " chicks " with the reduction - ella, crossed with pullo " dark, black " for ). It is possible that the name can be traced back to an actor named Puccio d' Agnello, which should be encountered as a farmer with nimble tongue wandering theatrical troupes. Another theory states that a certain Puccio d' Anielle, a farmer from Acerra, occurs with sonnengebräuntem face and a long nose on a painting by Annibale Carracci in appearance, which inspired the actor Silvio Fiorillo the invention of the mask.

Typology

Since the Renaissance, the figure can be found as most cunning, crafty, gross and yet simple-minded and doltish, greedy servants of peasant origin. The figure usually had a hump, often a long beaked nose, which gives him füchsischen expression. His original costume was kept of coarse material in green, brown or red colors. This changed gradually to a white costume with wide sleeves and a black half mask and a pointed hat.

Effect

Goethe speaks admiringly of this figure: " One of the main fun of this low - comic personage [ ... ] was that he sometimes seemed on stage his role as an actor at one time quite to forget. " However, is the " theater " of Pulcinella " of such reputation that no one prides itself in good company, having been in it, " He continued:". the Pulcinello is usually a kind of living newspaper. Everything that has happened over in Naples Striking the day, the evening you can hear from him. However, these local interests, connected to the lowly folk dialect, make it the stranger almost impossible to understand him. " Franz Grillparzer also mentioned him in the records of his trip to Italy in May 1823 in Naples.

Igor Stravinsky sat him in 1920 with his music for the ballet a monument.

In Acerra in Italy this figure has its own museum, the Museo di Pulcinella has been established.