See on Scoop.it - Good Things From Italy - Le Cose Buone d’Italia
Three of the traditional Italian Carnival masks are synonymous with the emergence of the Commedia dell’Arte in the second half of the 16th century with the most popular being Arlecchino (The Harlequin), followed by Gianduja and Pulcinella. Arlecchino’s name comes from the German for king of hell, as he was originally a 12th century representation of a demon. To allay the audience’s fears, he was portrayed in comedic roles and this led to his evolution into the modern harlequin we know today.
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