Harlequin ( or Arlecchino in Italian, Arlequin in French, and Arlequín in Spanish ) is the most popularly known of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell ' arte and its descendant, the Harlequinade.

The Harlequin is also known to be a type of clown.

One of the origins postulated for the modern Harlequin is Hellequin, a stock character in French passion plays.

One origin theory is that “ The name Zanni was given to the two masks from Bergamo, Harlequin and Brighella, because they were, according to Quadrio, descendants of the sannio of the Atellana ".

His character in postmodern popular culture — in poetry, fiction, the visual arts, as well as works for the stage, screen, and concert hall — is that of the sad clown, pining for love of Columbine, who usually breaks his heart and leaves him for Harlequin.

The formula has proven enduring: Pierrot is still a fixture at Bakken, the oldest amusement park in the world, where he plays the nitwit talking to and entertaining children, and at nearby Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest, where the Harlequin and Columbine act is performed as a pantomime and ballet.

During the performance, the puppets Harlequin, Punch, and Signora Rosaura see Pinocchio and cry out, " It is our brother Pinocchio!

One of the origins postulated for the modern Harlequin is Hellequin, a stock character in French passion plays.

Sparaxis tricolor, known by the common names Wandflower, Harlequin flower, and Sparaxis, is a bulb-forming perennial plant that grows in well-drained sunny soil.

Sparaxis ( Harlequin Flower ) is a genus in the family Iridaceae with about 13 species endemic to Cape Province, South Africa.

* Harlequin: The base color is pure white with black torn patches irregularly and well distributed over the entire body ; a pure white neck is preferred.

In The Condition of Muzak she is revealed to be a true Harlequin.

Freda, the Harlequin Great Dane mascot of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade ( Earl of Liverpool's Own ) is also buried on the chase marked with a memorial marble headstone.

Harlequin is the comedian and romantic male lead.

In some versions of the original Commedia dell ' arte, Harlequin is able to perform magic feats.

Columbine is a lovely woman, who has caught the eye of Harlequin.

He is taken in readily by the various tricks and schemes of Harlequin.

Guillotine leaves day-to-day matters in the hands of various commanders ; principally Spider ( a human who is eventually killed by a spray of acid ), Doctor Botanus ( Doctor Over in the Japanese series ; a silver-skinned alien capable of teleportation ), Fangar ( Red Cobra in the Japanese series, and also alternatively referred to as Dangor the Executioner in the US series-a bizarre alien with a pegleg and crutch, a greatly enlarged forehead, protruding upper teeth, and a costume that looks like a traditional striped prison outfit in front and a red velvet jumpsuit in back ), Harlequin ( Black Dia in the Japanese version, who has a fascination with the suits of playing cards ), and The Golden Knight ( Mr. Gold in the Japanese series ; a gold colored armored knight ).

Karen Valby of Entertainment Weekly comments, “ While the book chews on meaty questions of race and identity, the movie largely resigns itself to the realm of sudsy romance .” New York Times critic Virginia writes, “ the film is less a literary tribute than a visual fix of Harlequin Romance: Black Southern Series-all sensual soft-core scenes and contemporary, accessible language .”

The Harlequin Duck ( Histrionicus histrionicus ) is a small sea duck.

The anti-Martinist An Almond for a Parrot ( 1590 ), ostensibly credited to one " Cutbert Curry-knave ," is now universally recognised as Nashe's work, although its author humorously claims, in its dedication to the comedian William Kempe, to have met Harlequin in Bergamo while returning from a trip to Venice in the summer of 1589.

The only purpose-built UK marionette theatre is The Harlequin Puppet Theatre ( built 1958 ) in Rhos on Sea, North Wales, Founded by the late Eric Bramall FRSA and continued by Chris Somerville.

The story of the Harlequinade revolves around a comic incident in the lives of its five main characters: Harlequin, who loves Columbine ; Columbine's greedy father Pantaloon, who tries to separate the lovers in league with the mischievous Clown ; and the servant, Pierrot, often involving a chase scene with a policeman.

From these, the standard English harlequinade developed, depicting the eloping lovers Harlequin and Columbine, pursued by the girl's father, Pantaloon, and his comic servants.

He was known for playing Zanni, comic servant roles, hence his stage name, and is one of the first actors believed to have played the Zanni subtype known as Harlequin ( Arlecchino in Italian ), which subsequently became one the most important leading roles in commedia dell ' arte plays.

Casorti's son, Giuseppe ( 1749 – 1826 ), had undoubtedly been impressed by the Pierrots they had seen while touring France in the late 18th century, for he assumed the role and began appearing as Pierrot in his own pantomimes, which now had a formulaic structure ( Cassander, father of Columbine, and Pierrot, his dim-witted servant, undertake a mad pursuit of Columbine and her rogue lover, Harlequin ).

The plot of the Harlequinade was relatively simple ; the star-crossed lovers, Harlequin and Columbine, run away from Columbine's father, Pantaloon, who is being slowed down in his pursuit of them by his servant The Clown.

The principle male and female characters, also called " the lovers " and typically both played by young women, from the beginning plotline become Columbine and Harlequin, the mother or father of Columbine becomes Pantaloon and the servant character, the Clown.

Often, stylized theatrical costumes can exaggerate some aspect of a character ; for example Harlequin and Pantaloon in the Commedia dell ' arte.

The Harlequin character may have been based on or influenced by the Zanni archetype who, although a slow thinker, was acrobatic and nimble.

In 18th century France, Trivelino was a distinct character from Harlequin.

Sketch of Arlecchino | Harlequin, a popular zanni character

Pierrot, under the flour and blouse of the illustrious Bohemian, assumed the airs of a master and an aplomb unsuited to his character ; he gave kicks and no longer received them ; Harlequin now scarcely dared brush his shoulders with his bat ; Cassander would think twice before boxing his ears.

* The Harlequin, a character in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

He developed the character of Harlequin into a mischievous magician.

First appearing as Harlequin, and then in small parts at Drury Lane, he went to the Haymarket Theatre in 1829, and was given leading comedy character business.

It takes its name from Arlecchino, Harlequin in French, a colourfully dressed character in Commedia dell ' arte.

The name was that of a stock character in 17th-century Italian farce, Scaramuccia ( literally " skirmish "), who, attired usually in a black Spanish dress, burlesquing a don, was beaten by Harlequin for his boasting and cowardice.

But the first few hundred pages of Cradle are filled with more-or-less pointless character development, clearly written by Lee, that would be perfectly at home in a Harlequin romance novel.

Protested by fans for ruining the character, Kanigher tells Wonder Girl that he does love her, along with all of his other daughters, such as Black Canary, Star Sapphire, and the Harlequin.

The poet Gautier, though a great admirer of the mime, reproached him after his death for having " denaturalized " the character: " he gave kicks and no longer received them ; Harlequin now scarcely dared brush his shoulders with his bat ; Cassander would think twice before boxing his ears.

In 1815, Grimaldi played Clown in Harlequin and the Sylph of the Oak ; or, The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green at Covent Garden, followed by the Christmas pantomime Robinson Crusoe ; or, The Bold Buccaneer, in which he played Friday to Charles Farley's title character.

Often, stylized theatrical costumes can exaggerate some aspect of a character ; for example Harlequin and Pantaloon in the traditional Commedia dell ' Arte.

:* This is a depiction of Harlequin, another character from the Commedia dell ' arte.

Most of these stories ' pantomime titles would have included the words " Harlequin and ", or something of that sort, at the beginning as he was the most important character of the " panto " for quite a long time.

The last notable Hanswurst was Franz Schuch, who merged Hanswurst with the stock Harlequin character.