Ticket depicting a festive scene for the Philadelphia Carnival Bal Masque organized by the Maennechor Society, the city's German singing society. Scene depicts a man masquerading as a jester in a red costume breaking out of an egg-shaped prop (adorned with the date and location of the event) that lies on the back of a man costumed as a clown. The clown is attired in a white ensemble and is prone, lying on his stomach, and propped up by his hands. The clown wears a pointed hat, ruffled collar, wide-sleeved shirt, and blue-striped pants. Another jester, attired in a red head dress, blue shirt, and tan leggings, stands and watches to the left of the cracking egg from which his fellow jester propels himself. Above the standing jester, a putti pulls up a green drape with gold trim. In the right, in front of the clown and jester in red, a man with long blonde hair and costumed in colonial-era attire bows. He holds a tri-corn hat in his hand and wears a dark-brown coat, blue pantaloons, red shoes, and a flowing gold cape. In the right background, stands a group of male and female spectators costumed as a renaissance man, scullery maid, bald-headed clown, wizard, knight, and Quaker couple. The Maennerchor Society's Carnival Bal Masque began about 1864 and continued throughout at least the 1890s. The Carnival was usually a charity event and included masquerade, music, singing, dancing, and tableaux., Title and date from item., Contains gilt border., Purchased with funds for the Visual Culture Program (Junto Fund 2015).
Date
[1881]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department ephemera - Tickets - P [P.2017.92.1]
