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Commedia Masks


“The actor who plays in a mask receives the reality of his character from a cardboard object… He is commanded by it and must obey it willy-nilly… even the tone of his voice will be dictated by his mask.” Jacques Copeau, ‘Réflexion d’un comédien sur le Paradoxe de Diderot’, reprinted in Registres I, Paris, Gallimard NRF, 1974, pp 205–13.


In the commedia dell’arte, the mask is the character. It expresses the essence of that character by capturing and exaggerating telling facial features, the same way that caricatures and political cartoons do today. Link to Related Masks Site


To spectators of the Renaissance, these stock characters were part of a rich comic tradition, known and immediately recognizable to all. Harlequin’s mask, for example, sports a short flat nose, indicating to the audience the sharpness of his wit. Pantalone’s mask, meanwhile, has a long hooked nose, indicating someone dull, greedy and stupid. Only the commedia’s “lovers” tended to remain unmasked. Link to Characters

Traditional commedia masks were made of thin leather lined with linen. The leather was moistened with water and shaped over a mold, resulting in a mask whose distinctive features could be slightly altered by the facial contortions of the wearer. Most commedia characters were masked, initially with full-face masks and later in the 16th century with half masks covering only the upper half of the face.

Costumes and gestures further defined character. Harlequin’s tight-fitting multi-colored diamond patchwork is instantly familiar even today. So is Pierrot’s wide, loose-fitting garment — the uniform of the modern circus clown.

The commedia mask was not only an emblem of a character, it was also a handy disguise. The irreverent nature of the commedia’s story lines, impromptu gags and satirical routines did not always amuse the rich and powerful interests that were its frequent targets. Some historians believe that the use of commedia masks grew out of the players’ need to safeguard their identities — and their lives — from vengeful aristocrats and outraged fans.


Artwork by Paul Zelinsky
Graphic design by Sandy Campbell
Technical support by Pamela Mancini

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