{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O121605"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121605/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM3179/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM3179/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM3179","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O121605/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O121605","accessionNumber":"P.26-1985","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Capitano Bonbardon and Capitano Grillo","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>Mural painting in a grand house was a sure indicator of wealth and status. Noble or wealthy families commissioned artists, often from France, The Netherlands or Italy, to decorate their homes with mythological, patriotic, allegorical or fantasy scenes, demonstrating the owner's learning, allegiance and sophisticated taste. These are a part of a series of 16 panels commissioned by Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore, in 1742 to decorate the 'Scaramouche Parlour' in his house, Belvedere, in Kent.<br><br><b>Subjects Depicted</b><br>The panels show scenes from the Commedia dell'Arte, a type of theatre performed by Italian troupes of travelling actors.  The Commedia had a large number of stock characters: the actors would improvise around a general scenario.  They were often masked, and the performances involved acrobatics, music and dancing.  Characters included the Capitano, a swaggering, blustering coward who invariably runs from any threat of danger, Arlecchino (who became the Harlequin of pantomime), Pulcinella (who inspired the English Punch), Pedrolino (later Pierrot) and Colombine (a serving maid who later appears in amorous association with Harlequin or Pierrot). Most depictions of the Commedia characters are derived from a famous series of prints of Commedia-like performers, the <i>Bali di Sfessania</i> by the French artist Jacques Callot (1592-1635).<br><br><b>People</b><br>Andien de Clermont (active 1716-1783) was a French artist who arrived in Britain in 1716.  He was the most avant-garde and highly-inventive decorative artist working here in the Rococo period.","physicalDescription":"Two male figures, each with swords at their hip, within a landscape setting on a stage-like platform.  The one on the left stands on one leg (his right) and looks to his left.  The one on the right twists his shoulders and knees in an awkward manner and looks over his right shoulder.  The scene has a foliate canopy/border incorporating flowers and a blond-haired female head at the top centre.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Clermont, Andien de","id":"A8249"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oil paint","id":"AAT15050"},{"text":"canvas","id":"AAT14078"}],"techniques":[{"text":"oil painting","id":"AAT178684"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Interiors","id":"THES48933"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AM3179"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES304219"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"oil painting","id":"AAT33799"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1742","earliest":"1742-01-01","latest":"1742-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"127.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"canvas","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"132.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"canvas","note":""},{"dimension":"","value":"","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Measurement taken at time of assessment prior to BH decant - Frame Dimensions (mm): Not framed.;\nPainting Dimensions (mm): H-1265 W-1400 D-23"}],"dimensionsNote":"dimensions taken 09/05/2006 EmL","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Sixteen panels were commissioned by Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore to decorate the 'Scaramouche Parlour' in his house, Belvedere, in Kent.  Painted in England by Andien de Clermont (active 1716-83). The majority of the figures are taken from Jacques Callot's Balli di Sfessania, 1621; reproduced in Lieure <u>catalogue de l'oeuvre gray de Callot</u>, 1927, figs 379-402. Also reproduced with accompanying essay in Gerald Kahan <u>Jacqcues Callot - Artist of the Theatre</u>, 1976, pp.9-20. There has long been disagreement concerning the attribution of names to the three characters despicted in Callot's Frontispiece (Lieure 379). Hence P.24-1985 by de Clermont which is based on the frontispiece is descrived simply as <i>Three Figures</i>.\r\nProvenance: Charles Calvert, 5th Lord Baltimore; Sir Simpson Gideon Bart, later lord Eardley; Lieutenant Colonel F. D. E. Freemantle; Sotherbys Monaco 8 February 1980, 124, 2.  Purchased by the V&A in 1985.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Oil painting on canvas, 'Capitano Bonbardon and Capitano Grillo' from the Commedia dell'Arte, Andien de Clermont 1742","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Kahan, G.<u>Jacqcues Callot - Artist of the Theatre</u>, 1976, pp.9-20"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Lieure <u>catalogue de l'oeuvre gray de Callot,/u>, 1927, figs 379-402"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"men","id":"AAT25928"},{"text":"swords","id":"AAT37048"},{"text":"foliage","id":"AAT11892"},{"text":"landscape","id":"x35496"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"commedia dell'arte","id":"AAT55912"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["P.26-1985"],"accessionNumberNum":"26","accessionNumberPrefix":"P","accessionYear":1985,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP3990","2019LP2899","2019LU4064","2019LV4830"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2006-03-02","availableToBook":true}}