This Week's Featured Items: Pierrot & Colombinette

This week's featured items in the Red Poulaine shop are four hand-tinted postcards featuring Pierrot and, in three cases, his beloved Colombinette.

The first of our featured cards is a beautifully and brightly-colored hand-tinted card published by Bleuet, probably in the 1920s, showing Pierrot wooing Colombinette under the moon, while holding a mandolin in one hand. We love the wonderful scarves that grace each of the lovers' heads.

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Pierrot and Colombinette by Bleuet circa 1920s Hand-Tinted

Two of our featured cards were issued as part of a series published between 1895 and1905. In these, the coloration is subtle, with the exception of the bright red used to highlight pompoms and ribbons, and we watch the relationship between the two develop, as Pierrot is first perplexed, then discovers that he can woo his love with tickets to "les bijoux!...."

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Pierrot et Colombinette II

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Pierrot et Colombinette IX

Although not one of our featured cards, we also have in our shop a third from the same series. In this card, Pierrot is angry with Colombinette, possibly having just learned of her association with Harlequin, and is rolling up his sleeve while threatening her with a large stick.

The final card featured is a violet-toned portrait shot by Bluet, of a woman dressed as Pierrot (or, possibly, Pierrette). The woman's expression is quite wonderful, a beautiful, magical expression! 

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Woman in Pierrot Costume circa 1920s

This is a lovely card, with a charming note on the back in violet ink, which, when translated, reads roughly, "Souvenir of Carnival 1928, for my dear little Cherise. Hugs from your cousin, Angela."

What wonderful fun! We have seen photographs of hundreds of people parading through village streets on the occasion of some festival or other, all of them dressed up as Pierrot! Time machine please! Doctor, where are you? Bring the Tardis immediately, please!

P.S. Keep an eye on this blog for our Cyber Monday coupon code, scheduled for this afternoon. Thanks!