La Révéranse d'Arlequin
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 30.4 x 19 cm (11 15/16 x 7 1/2 in.) sheet: 34.6 x 24.2 cm (13 5/8 x 9 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Mark J. Millard Architectural Collection
Accession Number
1985.61.592
Art Historical Context
This charming etching, *La Révéranse dlequin* (The Bow Harlequin), captures a moment from the commedia dell'arte tradition that French audiences in the early century. Created around1730 by printmaker Joullain after design by Claude Gillot the work depicts the masked servant character Harlequin executing an exaggerated bow, his diamond-patterned costume and lively posture conveying both comedy and theatrical grace. Gillot, a pioneering artist known for his theatrical subjects, helped shift French art toward lighter, more playful themes that would later influence the Rococo style. As an etching...