# Harlequin and Columbine

- By: Meissener Porzellan Manufaktur
- Date: c. 1740 - c. 1744
- Medium: porcelain
- Classification: figure
- Dimensions: height 20.7 cm
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/BK-17486--d47683cbe005b69139e1086dc521e598)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://iiif.micr.io/HswrE/full/!1920,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Tweens profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

Harlequin and Columbine are stock figures in the Commedia dell’Arte, a form of Italian theatre in which the same recognizable characters play a role in different sketches. These performances were extremely popular in the 18th century. The leading characters recur in a variety of decorative objects, such as this figure group, which was modelled by Johann Joachim Kändler.