Pierrot

Paul Legrand by Nadar c1855

Antoine Watteau - The Italian Comedians - Google Art Project

Pedrolino and the Doctor in 1621 woodcut

Jean-Antoine Watteau - Pierrot, dit autrefois Gilles

Les acteurs de la Comédie italienne - Nicolas Lancret - Louvre

Jean-Honoré Fragonard - A Boy as Pierrot - WGA08079

Pierrot is a stock character of pantomime and Commedia dell'arte whose origins are in the late seventeenth-century Italian troupe of players performing in Paris and known as the Comédie-Italienne; the name is a diminutive of Pierre (Peter), via the suffix -ot. His character in contemporary popular culture—in poetry, fiction, and the visual arts, as well as works for the stage, screen, and concert hall—is that of the sad clown, pining for love of Columbine, who usually breaks his heart and leaves him for Harlequin. Pierrot is sometimes considered a French variant of the Italian Pedrolino, but the two characters have significant differences in costume, character, and demeanor.

Characteristics

Pierrot is traditionally depicted wearing a loose white blouse with large buttons and wide white trousers. His face is usually painted white, and he is often depicted with a tear running down his cheek, symbolizing his melancholic and pining nature. Unlike Harlequin's colorful and patterned costume, Pierrot's plain white costume suggests innocence, simplicity, and naivety. Pierrot is often portrayed as a foolish yet likable character, naive and always in love with Columbine, who does not return his affections.

History

The character of Pierrot was first introduced to France in the late 17th century by the Comédie-Italienne. Initially, Pierrot was a minor character, a foil for Harlequin. Over time, however, Pierrot's role in pantomime and Commedia dell'arte grew, and by the 19th century, he had become the central figure in many plays, poems, and visual artworks. The transformation of Pierrot from a buffoonish foil to a complex, emotional character reflects broader changes in European art and literature, where there was a growing interest in themes of love, melancholy, and the inner lives of characters.

Influence

Pierrot has had a significant influence on European and Western culture, inspiring a wide range of artists, writers, and composers. In the visual arts, Pierrot has been a subject for painters such as Antoine Watteau, Jean-Antoine Watteau, and Pablo Picasso. In literature, Pierrot has appeared in works by poets and writers such as Charles Baudelaire, Théophile Gautier, and Federico García Lorca. In music, the character has inspired compositions by Claude Debussy and Arnold Schoenberg, among others.

Legacy

Today, Pierrot remains a symbol of the tragic clown, the outsider who is both comic and sad. The character continues to be a popular subject in contemporary culture, appearing in various forms of media, including theater, ballet, literature, and film. Pierrot's enduring appeal lies in his complexity; he is at once a figure of humor and pathos, embodying the human condition's dual nature of joy and sorrow.