Name/Title
Meissen Group of Dancing Harlequin and MaidContext
Meissen group of dancing Harlequin and Maid. On the underside both figurines feature a mark of crossed swords painted in underglaze blue that identify them as Meissen china, a Saxon porcelain manufactory that was the first European brand to rival the finer wares coming from China. The Meissen factory started producing small-scale sculpture shortly after its founding in 1710.
The particular shape of the Meissen stamp (which was changed over time) on the underside of the group indicates that it was produced after 1815.
Harlequin was one of the "zanni", the term used to describe the servant characters in the commedia dell’arte. His character was notably complex : he was simpleminded, yet often clever, clownish, and sometimes menacing. With this group, Harlequin’s relaxed posture and big open smile, reveal aspects of his personality that could be playful and sometimes mischievous.
Of all the characters represented in the commedia dell’arte, Harlequin is the best known and the most immediately identifiable and was depicted in a wide variety of models at Meissen, both individually and as part of a figure group.
The early representations of theatrical Harlequins depict him in a costume made with irregular, variously colored patches to indicate his poverty. This manner of dress would evolve into the distinctive, multicolored lozenge outfit with which Harlequin continues to be associated. The Neill-Cochran porcelain figurine depicting Harlequin is therefore dressed in a jacket and trousers composed of large, brightly colored lozenges.