Subject Area
Art History/Criticism/Conservation
Abstract
This thesis examines the commedia dell’arte character Pierrot through the lens of gender performance in order to decipher the ways in which he complicates and expands understandings of gender and the normative model of sexuality in fin de siècle France. Beginning with a case study of a chromolithograph by Jules Chéret, the first chapter of this thesis traces the perceived relation between Pierrot and the bohemian artist, and the underlying tensions between the male dominated artistic sphere and increasingly emancipated women. In contrast, Chapter II complicates the dominant impression of Pierrot’s association with the artists of bohemian Montmartre, and instead explores the way in which Pierrot is visually appropriated by female actors to challenge established models of gendered behavior and dress through male impersonation on stage. For example, female mime artist Félicia Mallet, through the guise of Pierrot, breaks down the conception of the perceived polarization between femininity and creative production, while also increasing the plurality and complexity of the character Pierrot. Lastly, this thesis concludes with an analysis of a series of postcards from 1900 that capture a romantic encounter between two women dressed as Pierrot and his love interest Columbine. As a result, the postcards question the normative model of sexuality, and further destabilize our understanding of Pierrot’s gender identity. In conclusion, Pierrot acts as a protective mask through which individual artists, actors and writers can explore beyond the boundaries of propriety without severe repercussions.
Degree Date
Spring 5-15-2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Art History
Advisor
Amy Freund
Second Advisor
Randall Griffin
Third Advisor
Elizabeth Bacon Eager
Number of Pages
129
Format
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Recommended Citation
Norman, Ana, "Miming Modernity: Representations of Pierrot in Fin-de-Siècle France" (2021). Art History Theses and Dissertations. 7.
https://scholar.smu.edu/arts_arthistory_etds/7
Included in
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, Modern Art and Architecture Commons
