I Blame Pierrot For Everything
Pierrot was my first crush, and I mean the very first one, the one before real life boys, girls, etc. It all began with a life size doll [the size of a 6 year old anyhow] of a crying jester. More of a fusion of Pierrot and Harlequin, he had long noodly limbs, painted fingernails and a white made up moon-face with permanent blue teardrops slightly raised on the plastic surface. I assigned him a variety of appropriately tragic personalities in accordance with whatever game I was playing that day.
The name “Pierrot” didn’t hold any meaning until I read Buratino – Tolstoy’s version of Pinnochio. He was Buratino’s dismal friend, eternally pining for Malvina the blue-haired doll. I was smitten by his dapper costume in the 1975 film version of the book. The magnificent ruff and floor-length sleeves on the squeaky pallid boy left a permanent impression.
Soon I started noticing his portrait in art books, admiring his powdered skin and elegant outfits.
Eventually I learned more of the Pierrot saga; his love for the cruel Columbine and Harlequin’s betrayal with her.
His story of eternally unrequited love was captivating, and thus a wee gothlette was conceived. To this day I’m weakened by the site of sullen powdered boys. I blame Pierrot for everything.
On a related note: Perrot paper doll.
December 19th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Не нужна мне малина… I remember I dressed up into Malvina in the preschool. What times…
December 19th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
In my opinion, the only reason to watch Les Enfants du Paradis is for Jean-Louis Barrault’s mime portrayal of Pierrot….
December 19th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Yelimon, a great costume! Next Halloween I’m considering an elaborate Pierrot costume for myself – Malvina would be too easy, especially since my mother calls me Malvina because of the blue hair.
James, this Pierrot was fantastic, indeed.
December 19th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Yakitate!! Japan has an excellent Pierrot. It is also the best comic/cartoon about baking around.
December 19th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
It’s so good to hear someone else say all this. My parents continually bought me pierrot dolls from the day I was born, one every year. We lived in france, so I always had the beautiful, androgynous pierrots, not the ugly clowns I first saw when I came to the US. My parents got me a life size one too, when I was five or six, and he slept with me up until I was about fourteen—he became sort of my boyfriend and companion, and my idea of comfort is sleeping entwined with my face resting against a cool porcelain cheek. What bliss!
December 19th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
How old is the pierrot character in commedia dell’arte? In the classic stories I don’t remember him at all. However, a lot of the commedia characters get fresh names from being played by some specific famous actor, making me think that the pierrot is a development from arleccino. All the attributes are the same.
December 19th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Awww, Pierrot! I can see why you fancied him.
Being a child of 70s PBS, my first love was a bit more… fuzzy:
December 20th, 2007 at 6:31 am
I have always been fascinated by the Italian improvised comedies, and the characters therein. Although, my fixation has always centered mostly around Harlequin, especially in his persona as Arleccino: the magician.
December 21st, 2007 at 10:04 am
Mer…is this your way of coming out as a furry?
March 4th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Mon ami Pierrot…
September 26th, 2009 at 6:36 am
can you please please get in touch with me about all these versions of pierrot you found in the media, the paintings, the movies and stories.
i really have tried to scour the internet for all i can, but pierrot is fading.
i long to learn so much more.
i long, too, to be able to blame pierrot for everything :)
thnk you. x
November 19th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Pierrot is a descendant of Pedrolino from the original Italian commedia dell’arte.