[54] An Unusual French Carved Ivory Snuff Box in the Form of a Court Dwarf Dressed as Pulcinella or Punch a Member of the Commedia Dell’Arte Holding his baton behind his back his head unscrewing to reveal an inner cavity
Mid 18th Century
s i z e : 8.5 cm high – 3¼ ins high Punch or Pulcinella ranks with Harlequin among the most prominent and influential characters of the commedia dell’arte. Originating around 1550 in Tuscany, the theatre spread rapidly through almost all the countries of Europe reaching as far as Moscow and establishing a permanent théâtre Italien in Paris. In the 18th century Harlequin’s theatre became known as Commedia dell’arte. By then it had been a potent dramatic force for over two centuries, having a strong influence on the popular stages of many lands and also on some of the greatest playwrights such as Shakespeare, Lope de Vega and Molière. Apart from Hamlet, Harlequin is the most widely known of all stage characters, but Pulcinella has remained his chief rival for fame and the principal person among all the puppets of the Commedia dell’arte, and during the 18th century he was selected and became the presiding acerbic genius of Mr Punch.