Scaramouche and Columbine
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Height: 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
German, Berlin
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
Accession Number
64.101.295
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the lively world of 18th-century European theater with *Scaramouche and Columbine*, a pair of charming hard-paste porcelain figures produced by the Royal Porcelain Manufactory in Berlin during the Wegely period (ca. 1751–57). Modeled by Ernst Heinrich Reichard, these 6 7/8-inch (17.5 cm) tall figurines capture the iconic Commedia dell'arte characters: Scaramouche, the boastful swordsman-clown, and Columbine, his witty female counterpart. Standing gracefully together, they embody the playful spirit of Italian improvised comedy that captivated audiences across Europe. Berlin's manufac...