Friday, April 11, 2014

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Il Carnevale in Roma, 18th C.



Il Carnavale in Roma
Eighteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum



Entitled “Il Carnevale in Roma,” this engraving was published by an unknown company sometime in the Eighteenth Century. 


The scene depicts a group of people dressed for a mask ball during carnival. From left to right there are two figures with who have donned costume horses’ heads, another figure wears a turkey head, there’s a clown, a Pulcinella--on a monkey--and two more masqueraders.

I must confess, I was tickled when reading the V&A's description of this piece.  They state that the Pulcinella is riding a "monkey."  Now, I know it was a typo and they meant "donkey," but I rather like the idea of a Pulcinella riding a monkey.  It seems like something one would do.





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