The Triumph of Pulcinella is a series of paintings originally consisting of four paintings that deal with the Venice carnival and its gallery of musicians, street performers, and quacks. Pulcinella, the original Mr. Punch, is a character from the Italian commedia dell’arte and is easily recognised by his fat, hunchbacked physique, large nose, and conical hat. In Tiepolo’s works he appears in several cloned versions that take part in mirth-provoking or slapstick scenes. The artist’s fascination with the figure is borne out by the 104 drawings of scenes from the life of Pulcinella that he did under the heading Entertainment for Children.
[National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen]