Masks from Bergamo of the commedia dell'arte

We find in the commedia dell'arte masks of Bergamo origin such as Arlecchino, Brighella and Gioppino.

Harlequin: In Bergamo dialect Arlechì is a famous Bergamo mask of the commedia dell'arte.  Identified by his unmistakable costume with colored lozenges, he is an ignorant and clumsy servant, carefree and cheerful, but also astute, who acts to thwart the plans of his master Pantalone. Very greedy and constantly on the lookout for food and money, however, he loves helping young lovers and is always in love with a "servetta" (Colombina).

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Brighella: Brighella: in the Bergamo dialect Brighèla owes its name to its lively, quarrelsome, insolent and mischievous character. He is Arlecchino's best friend: both are servants of the commedia dell'arte and both were born in Bergamo. Unlike his friend, however, Brighella is not only a servant but an infinite number of other more or less licit jobs, which is why he always finds himself in the midst of intrigues. Its characteristics are the quickness and agility of the mind, which it uses to devise deceptions and traps into which to make others fall just for the sake of cheating people. He is scheming, highly crafty, unscrupulous, and capable of telling lies with such confidence and conviction that it is almost impossible to tell them from the truth. He is also very good at singing, playing and dancing. He is shown wearing a jacket and trousers decorated with green braid and green shoes with black pompoms. He wears a white cape with two green stripes while the mask and hat are black.

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Gioppino: Gioppino's main physical characteristic is the presence of three large goiters, which he calls his grenades or corals, which he flaunts not as a physical defect, but as real jewels, since they are the family coat of arms. Tradition has it that he was born to Bortolo Söcalonga and Maria Scatoléra in Zanica where he lives with his wife Margì and their son: Bortolì. In Bergamo it is called Giopì de Sanga. He also has two brothers, Giacomì and little Pisanbraga, and grandparents Bernardo and Bernarda. Big sly, ruddy face, dressed in a thick green cloth edged in red, dark peasant trousers and a round hat with a loose ribbon, he is a porter and a farmer by profession, professions he does not actually practice, preferring less tiring occasional earnings. Of very crude manners and language, but basically good-hearted, he always carries with him a stick which he does not disdain to use to make reason understood, always in any case to the advantage of the little ones and the oppressed. Lover of wine and good food, he declares himself very much in love with his Margì.