Joseph Pecsenke Arlecchino Commedia Dell'arte Etching

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Joseph A. Pecsenke (1942 – 1989) "Arlecchino V-A" etching on paper, pencil signed and numbered 147 of 150 from his … Read more Joseph A. Pecsenke (1942 – 1989) "Arlecchino V-A" etching on paper, pencil signed and numbered 147 of 150 from his Commedia Dell'Arte series. The Fleming Museum at the University of Vermont and the Cornell University Art Museum have this etching in their collections.

After graduating from the Budapest Academy of Fine Arts, Pecsenke worked as an illustrator in Hungary before moving to New York in 1971. Eventually he moved to Sweden, where he stayed for the rest of his life.
Pecsenke was profoundly involved in the theater world. In addition to his work as an actor and set designer, Pecsenke directed opera performances all over the world. It was his work in the theater that inspired his series Commedia dell’Arte and Opera Suite, both of which are included in this exhibition.

His Opera Suite, comprised of a series of lithographs illustrating a variety of operas, includes scenes from Otello, Madame Butterfly, Faust, and La Boheme. Pecsenke’s colorful renderings portray actors mid-scene, often clad in ornate costumes and masks, in front of elaborate stage sets, capturing a moment of a dramatic performance.

Pecsenke’s artwork has been exhibited all over the world, and is currently in the collections of the Metropolitan Opera, the Joffrey Ballet, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the New York Philharmonic, the Reading Public Museum and Yale University. See less