The Old Lady of the Carnival

NAME ///

NICKNAME The old lady of Carnival

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION This is a double mask formed by the image of an elderly woman who has on her shoulders a dancing Punchinello.
The woman is characterized by a wrinkled and ugly face but the voluptuous body of a girl.

THE TIME Usually the last Thursday of Carnival but later it appeared also during Lent

THE PLACE Naples

WHAT HAPPENED This typical Neapolitan mask was performed by one person and was quite difficult since with his body he had to mave in a lascivious way while with his upper body, especially his arms, moved following the rhythm of the music, usually a tarantella.Moreover, he clapped the lady’s face arousing the hilarity of the crowd.Lastly, he told old, traditional sentences and collected whatever was offered to him (usually food and not money ).
This woman-figure, as many others belonging to the European tradition, represent the winter death of the Nature,the dying year, the old age and old the bad things we, indivigually or as a group have in our past. But, on the other hand, having a young body she also is a promise of future happiness and fertility. She is at the same time a scapegout and as such she is clapped by Punchinello, and a symbol of prosperity and new life.

PROVERB Paré ‘a vecchia d’ ‘o Carnevale.
[ To look like the old lady of Carnival, meaning a ridiculuos , ugly lady with lots of make-up ]

NAME	///
NICKNAME	The old lady of Carnival
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION	This is a double mask formed by the image of an elderly woman who has on her shoulders a dancing Punchinello. The woman is characterized by a wrinkled and ugly face but the voluptuous body of a girl.
THE TIME	Usually the last Thursday of Carnival but later it appeared also during Lent
THE PLACE	Naples
WHAT HAPPENED	This typical Neapolitan mask was performed by one person and was quite difficult since with his body he had to mave in a lascivious way while with his upper body, especially his arms, moved following the rhythm of the music, usually a tarantella.Moreover, he clapped the lady’s face arousing the hilarity of the crowd.Lastly, he told old, traditional sentences and collected whatever was offered to him (usually food and not money ). This woman-figure, as many others belonging to the European tradition, represent the winter death of the Nature,the dying year, the old age and old the bad things we, indivigually or as a group have in our past. But, on the other hand, having a young body she also is a promise of future happiness and fertility. She is at the same time a scapegout and as such she is clapped by Punchinello, and a symbol of prosperity and new life.
PROVERB	Paré ‘a vecchia d’ ‘o Carnevale. [ To look like the old lady of Carnival, meaning a ridiculuos , ugly lady with lots of make-up ]