Pulcinella II, 65-67

Benjamin Galleries, Chicago (1972) Private Collection, Chicago Private Collection, Ontario

Sir Philip Hendy, Preface to “Sorel Etrog”, Toronto, 1967, reprinted in “Sorel Etrog: Five Decades”, Toronto, 2013, page 93

Inspired by the world of Commedia dell’Arte, a semi–improvised form of street performance that originated in 16th century Italy, Etrog drew on the character Pulcinella as the inspiration for this striking bronze sculpture. In his countryside studio outside of Florence, Etrog began to work on the sketches that would become “Pulcinella II” in the mid–1960s. In these sketches, the prominent finger–like protrusion began to take form. Etrog seized on Pulcinella, one of Commedia’s classic stock characters, which are made recognizable by their inherent contradictions. Pulcinella is a dualistic character: portrayed as either a servant or a master, depending on the scenario. He either plays dumb, despite being very much aware of the situation, or he acts as though he is the most intelligent and competent, despite being woefully ignorant. Many regional variants of Pulcinella were developed as the character diffused across Europe. Europeans at large strongly identified with the tired, witty “everyman” that Pulcinella represented. In many later adaptations, Pulcinella was portrayed as a puppet, as Commedia dell’Arte-style theatre began to wane in popularity in many parts of the continent. The sculpture’s present shape is the result of the fusion of a classical form of theatre with a modern form of sculpture masterfully combined in this cast bronze sculpture. Etrog was chosen to represent Canadian sculpture at the Venice Biennale in 1966. In his Preface to “Sorel Etrog”, Sir Philip Hendy, Director of the National Gallery in London, describes that “of the many spirits which live in [Etrog’s] bronzes, the most obvious perhaps is the spirit of metal itself...Etrog understands its substance, its tensions and its surfaces-above all, its tensions.” “Pulcinella II” is a large and powerful work, imbued with a tension of opposing forces. William Withrow characterizes these tensions as “linear and volumetric, geometric and organic, restful and dynamic, sensual and spiritual.” The years surrounding “Pulcinella II’s” creation were particularly successful for Etrog. After immigrating to Canada, he had his first travelling exhibition in 1965. The show began at Gallery Moos, then travelled to New York City, Los Angeles, and Montreal. In 1966, Etrog, alongside Yves Gaucher and Alex Colville, represented Canada at the Venice Biennale. He later received several important commissions, including those for Expo ’67, the SunLife Centre in Toronto, and the Windsor Sculpture Garden. While works from this series have been exhibited as “Pulcinella” and “Pulcinella I”, the estate of the artist records the bronze as “Pulcinella II”.