The World Mask
by David Taylor

He matured in Naples but has for centuries travelled the world over like some tragi-comic exporter of Neapolitan values and character, assuming whatever alias most fits the country in which he finds himself -- Punch, Polichinelle, Don Cristobal, Policianelo, Karaghuez, Jan Klassen, Petruska, etc. Yet Naples, itself, often risks forgetting the true nature of one of its most famous sons: the caustic, amorous, long-suffering, ever-hungry, yet curiously indefatigable Pulcinella. This world-wide diffusion of the mask-character known in Italy as Pulcinella was once the theme of an exhibition in the Villa Pignatelli, Naples. Works from all over the world, many by famous artists and showing Pulcinella in his various guises, were brought together to illustrate the enormous distances the character has travelled in time, space and appearance, whilst, though, remaining essentially the character born from the real-life adventures of a certain Paoluccio della Cerra.
 

Paoluccio, after moving from Acerra to Naples and turning his misfortunes and stupidity into something approaching a street-wise philosophy, turning authority and pomposity on their heads with his often unanswerable "...and why?", became christened Pulecenella Cetrulo (a play on words meaning 'stupid chick'). Of the existence of this person, we have the evidence of a 17th century engraving by Ludovico Carraci showing a physiognomy highly suited to transformation into the mask we know so well, and entitled "A true likeness of Paoluccio della Cerra, a.k.a. Pulcinella'.

Whatever the truth of Pulcinella's origins, Prof. C. Greco of the University of Naples, and the other experts employed by the Azienda Autonomo di Soggiorno Cura e Turismo for the research and organization of the exhibition took great pains to track down Pulcinella wherever he has appeared in the East and West, and whatever his attempts to disguise himself, and bring him back home for exhibition alongside a display of objects from the family collections of the Neapolitan playwrights and actors Raffaele Viviani and Eduardo de Filippo.

[for another item on Pulcinella, click here ]