Product Description: The commedia dell'arte began in Italy as irreverent, improvised street theatre and is best known for its exuberant characters--Harlequin, Pantalone, Pulcinella, Scaramouche, and Colombine, among others. Since the sixteenth century, these personalities have inspired paintings, engravings, and porcelain sculptures...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)