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Lot Essay
Scapin is recorded in the work notes of Reinicke for July 1744 as '1 Scapin, 7 zoll hoch, zur Italienischen Comödie, in Thon bossirt' (1 Scapin, 7 zoll high, from the Italian Comedy, modelled in clay), see Meredith Chilton, Harlequin Unmasked, The Commedia dell'Arte and Porcelain Sculpture, Singapore, 2001, p. 308, and where a similar example is illustrated.
Originating from Bergamo, Scapin belongs to the group of 'zanni', or valets and servant characters of the Commedia dell'Arte. His name derives from the Italian word 'scappare', to escape. This figure of Scapin is directly inspired by Joullain's engraving 'Habit de Scapin' published in Luigi Riccoboni's, Histoire du Théâtre Italien, Paris, 1728.
Originating from Bergamo, Scapin belongs to the group of 'zanni', or valets and servant characters of the Commedia dell'Arte. His name derives from the Italian word 'scappare', to escape. This figure of Scapin is directly inspired by Joullain's engraving 'Habit de Scapin' published in Luigi Riccoboni's, Histoire du Théâtre Italien, Paris, 1728.