Italian School

In this scene the land of Cockaigne has been taken over by the carnival. The Italian word cuccagna describes a concept similar to that formulated in the German term Schlaraffenland (land of milk and honey) or in the Dutch term Luilekkerland. Mediaeval in origin, it comprises not merely the fanciful notion of infinite amounts of food provided by nature, but also a place free of any limitations and constraints imposed by state, society or religion. Abundance, eternal youth, free love and the ideal of leisure and laziness are the hallmarks of Cockaigne. A far distant land or a mere figment of the imagination, it is ruled by Panigon, the laziest of its inhabitants. Cuccagna, which had featured in Italian literature since the late 15th century, first appeared in prints towards the end of the 16th century. Under the influence of the Counter-Reformation in the 17th century, cuccagna underwent a transformation into a simplified fantasy world that was essentially culinary in character: Panigon was replaced by a cook and, two hundred years later, the theme was still to be found, primarily in children’s literature and imagery. The idea also lived on in Italian folklore in the albero della Cuccagna.

In iconographic respects, depictions of the land of cuccagna came to incorporate ideas from a topsy-turvy world or from the carnival, as is the case in the present example. Here Signor Carnavale takes charge and has idlers driven out of the land. At the top Panigon, shown riding a pig, is taken prisoner, while at the bottom he appears again in a barrel, next to which sits the new Carnival King who, according to the inscription, condemns him to death. In other scenes cuccagna’s riches are being plundered by figures familiar from the Carnival in Venice and the commedia dell’arte: on the right a gold mine is exploited by Pantalon and Stefanello and on the left a mountain of macaroni is consumed by the Zani, while at the bottom left the Tedeschi (Germans) guzzle their way through a sea of Greek wine. 

A print with the same depiction in reverse was published by Ferrando Bertelli in Venice (Rigoli/Savarese, p. 438, no. 612). However, it is not clear which print appeared first, nor is it certain who the author was. Another very popular variant is by the hand of Nicolò Nelli (active 1563–1579), which was widely disseminated through numerous copies. The present sheet is also listed in some collections under Nicolò Nelli, but his authorship does not appear to be clearly documented. A very fine impression, with thread margins at the top and on the left, trimmed to the framing line on the right and at the bottom. Mounted to the white margins (with a 16th century watermark), a smoothed vertical centrefold and few creases, minor ageing, otherwise in very good condition.

12.000 €