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We see here the mask of Pantaloon (Pantalone in the original Italian name), the venetian merchant, rich, greedy and naïve. From merchant to nobleman, always having to deal with people trying to take his gold from him, always losing against wit and improvisation, at times even pleasant for the trust he feels for the others, that on the other hand don't care for anything different than his money. … e Pantalone paga!!! (…and Pantaloon has to pay!!) image of the Italian people been subject to the state's squeezing tax system …
Old but athletic, Pantaloon plays the ideal counterpart of an Harlequin always without money, the Zanni, poor immigrant always hungry, Brighella (the name comes from briga, fight), and countless other characters.
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Harlequin brings back to Pantaloon the sons the old man had with an "infamous woman" that later managed to get married with Harlequin himself. But Pantalone sends them all away ... (around 1577)
Pretty mean, huh?
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watercolor (18th century)
copyright 1998-2007 by Roberto Delpiano - www.delpiano.com