About the work

Vincent Capraro’s “Il Capitano” was from his suite of six color etchings called “Commedia dell’arte”. It was first published in 1968 pursuant to an agreement between Capraro and Associated American Artists to publish Commedia dell’arte as a suite, but the suite was not published until the 1981 edition of 100 impressions sold by Emiliano Sorini, New York. This copy of Il Capitano is from the 1968 edition.

Capraro’s Commedia dell’arte portrays six of the stock characters found in the plays of the commedia dell’arte that emerged in northern Italy in the fifteenth century. These plays were characterized by a cast of colorful stock characters presenting colorful stock stories in which the actors improvised their dialogue, free to tailor the performance to their audience and current politics. The plot often centered on the struggles of young lovers whose union is hindered by elders but, with assistance from the cunning intervention of servant characters (called zanni, from which the word “zany” derives), finds a happy conclusion.

Each character developed a distinct set of attributes that became standard to the portrayal of the character. The cast included the bullying braggart Il Capitano, who appears in a military uniform and carries a sword, proclaiming his war victories—but who reveals his cowardice whenever challenged to some act of danger or daring and usually attempts to take the credit for other characters’ achievements. Capraro portrays him here in elaborate costume: a winged hat, ruff collar, doublet-style jacket, pantaloons, bow-tied shoes, ruffles and bows at elbows, wrists, and knees. He holds a cane in his left hand.

The image is 12 × 8 3/4 in. on a sheet 16 3/8 × 12 3/8 in. and in a frame 19.25 x 14.75 in.

This work has been custom framed in a gilt wood frame behind 99% UV-blocking Plexiglas using strictly conservation-grade materials.