poppys said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Can you explain? I've been 'studying' this outfit for a few weeks now

I see this look as it pertains to this thread as clown/jester/troubadour persona. Has all the elements. Looks like the juggler, aka the magus or the magician in the tarot deck - one who manipulates energy.

[Edited 10/5/17 21:12pm]

I had always seen this outfit as Prince's gypsy troubadour look. It is an interesting connection you've made here!

poppys said:

This one reminds me of a Moko Jumbie - Afro-Caribbean trickster spirit. Playful and serious at the same time. Moko Jumbie artists perform on stilts with an edgy/clown vibe.

This looks directly inspired from the Queen's guards hats (esp. with the blue feather).

^But we digress!

OldFriends4Sale said:

Here's the Pierrot again - he was certainly a strong presence in the Parade era.

OldFriends4Sale said:

love this thread CherryMoon

I talked about this some years ago the Pierrot the Pirate the Buccaneer

Thanks!

As long as I've seen this outfit, I cannot fully discern what I'm seeing. Are those flowers or insects? what is the pattern on there?

OldFriends4Sale said:

Can you explain? I've been 'studying' this outfit for a few weeks now

poppys said:

This is pretty literal.

[Edited 10/5/17 9:18am]

^^ It looks like a stylized flower pattern to me, but it would be better if we could see it closer.

CherryMoon57 said:

poppys said:

This one reminds me of a Moko Jumbie - Afro-Caribbean trickster spirit. Playful and serious at the same time. Moko Jumbie artists perform on stilts with an edgy/clown vibe.

This looks directly inspired from the Queen's guards hats (esp. with the blue feather).

That is so interesting. The Queen's Guard has been used in comedy many times. Every country/culture has clown archetypes. Prince portrayed and revisited so many in his body of work.

The Commedia dell'arte from Europe, Carnival in the Caribbean and Brazil, and Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) in New Orleans are all connected to one thing - the bacchanal before Lent.

[Edited 10/7/17 4:15am]

OldFriends4Sale said:

As long as I've seen this outfit, I cannot fully discern what I'm seeing. Are those flowers or insects? what is the pattern on there?

OldFriends4Sale said:

Can you explain? I've been 'studying' this outfit for a few weeks now

From what I can see it could either be a mix between Suzani (from central Asia) and Western bandana fabric patterns or perhaps just bandana fabric with added colours on it (they usually come in black/white + 1 colour only)...

poppys said:

CherryMoon57 said:

This looks directly inspired from the Queen's guards hats (esp. with the blue feather).

That is so interesting. The Queen's Guard has been used in comedy many times. Every country/culture has clown archetypes. Prince portrayed and revisited so many in his body of work.

The Commedia dell'arte from Europe, Carnival in the Caribbean and Brazil, and Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) in New Orleans are all connected to one thing - the bacchanal before Lent.

Yes, you're right.

"The actual carnival, that we usually mean, happens as a final feast just before lent. The word actually means farewell to meat. It is the kind of feast we can find all in all times over the world – like the Indian” Holi”, the Roman “Saturnalias” or “Boruca” in Costa Rica – that puts the normal life up-side-down, where social, sexual or gender structures and hierarchies are put aside in favor of the great feast.

The carnival starts with the crowning of the “King of Carnival” Jack o´Lent”, Nannu or Verde Giorgio. It could be the village fool or an actor, which then led the festivities of eating, drinking, playing dancing in the streets, up until the point when he was accused for bringing chaos and social disorder into the community. It could take anything from a month to a day or two. [...]
By the end of the time of carnival the “King of Carnival” gets challenged in a fray, by Lent (personified) or gets put to court where he is sentenced to death. But before he gets killed he reads his last will. Reading the will, wish also was the peak of the carnival, is where he mocked the rulers, bishops and everyone who had done something wrong during the year. And finally he was ritually killed; usually a puppet or an animal, like a bear, a donkey or a goat was burned or thrown down from something tall.

Note that it is not a sad event that the King of Carnival dies. As the carnival comes from old pagan rituals of spring, he also is represents the old world (the old year, the winter) that must die to give birth to the young and new for the world to be reborn.[...]

The common theme, except from how the everyday life turned up-side-down and changed into a life of rejoicing , laughter and play, is the how different rites where everyone was a participant slowly began to take form into acted stories where actors and audiences became more and more separated.
It started as today’s “trick or treat” or “wedding ceremonies”, but slowly grew into more complex performances and shows."

http://commedia.klingvall.com/commedia-dellarte/the-roots-of-commedia-dellarte/the-carnival/

[Edited 10/6/17 10:07am]

Innamorati (The Lovers)

Gli Innamorati (Italian: [ʎ innamoˈraːti], meaning "The Lovers")^[2] were stock characters within the [...] Commedia dell'arte. In the plays everything revolves around the Lovers in some regard.^[3] These characters were present within commedia plays for the sole purpose of being in love with one another, and moreover with themselves. Despite facing many obstacles, the Lovers are always united by the end ^[4]

Physical appearance and attributes

The Lovers are always young in age, possessing courteousness and gallantry. They are very educated, but lack life experiences that would have prepared them for the real world.^[7]They are very attractive, and elegant in their appearance overall.^[9]

The women's dresses were of the finest silks and they wear showy jewelry characteristic of Renaissance style.^[10] The males wear soldier-like attire, while both sexes wear extravagant wigs and also change clothes numerous times throughout the length of the production.^[5] The costumes of the lovers were the fashion of the day, and the extravagance of the Lovers costumes often represented the status of the Commedia dell'arte company.^[11]

The Lovers never wear the masks which are characteristic of most of the other stock characters in the commedia dell'arte. They do, however, wear a large amount of makeup and apply beauty marks to their faces.^[5]

Characteristics and dramatic function

The Lovers tend to be overly dramatic in whatever emotion they express. [They] often act in a childlike and immature way. When not getting their way, they become completely devastated, they pout, and even cry and whine if things do not go according to their wishes. Very selfish and self-centered, the Lovers are in their own worlds in which they themselves are the most important subjects. Along with loving themselves, they are in love with the very idea of love and what it pertains to.^[5]

Physicality

The Innamorati do everything perfectly, and strive for perfection.^[9] Their movements are elegant and are not to be aimed towards parody. They occasionally do courtly dances using two dance movements called "pas", and "swivel". ^[11]

The posture that the Lovers take on is that of strong pride. They point their toes while standing and puff up their chests. Overall, they lack contact with the ground and seem to float across the ground rather than take steps.^[5] Their hand movements and gestures are also very characteristic of the buoyant movements that their feet take on. The physicality of the Lovers should not be done in a way that makes fun of them.^[11]

https://en.wikipedia.org/...Innamorati

purplefam99 said:

Dude!!!! Cherrymoon57 your on fire with this freakin thread!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the feedback purplefam99! I am not a dude though

Harlequin

Although the origins of the Harlequin are obscure there are several theories for how the character came to be. One theory posits that the name is derived from a bird with polychromatic feathers called a Harle^[4] Another theory suggest that the name Harlequin is taken from that of a mischievous "devil" or "demon" character in popular French passion plays. It originates with an Old French term herlequin, hellequin, first attested in the 11th century, by the chronicler Orderic Vitalis, who recounts a story of a monk who was pursued by a troop of demons when wandering on the coast of Normandy (France ) at night.^[4][5] These demons were led by a masked, club-wielding giant and they were known as familia herlequin (var. familia herlethingi). This medieval French version of the Germanic Wild Hunt, Mesnée d'Hellequin, has been connected to the English figure of Herla cyning ("host-king"; German Erlkönig).^[6] Hellequin was depicted as a black-faced emissary of the devil, roaming the countryside with a group of demons chasing the damned souls of evil people to Hell. The physical appearance of Hellequin offers an explanation for the traditional colours of Harlequin's red-and-black mask.^[7][8] The name's origin could also be traced to a knight from the 9th century, Hellequin of Boulogne, who died fighting the Normans and originated a legend of devils.^[9] Cantos XXI and XXII from Dante's Inferno there is a devil by the name of Alichino.^[4][10] The similarities between the devil in Dante's Inferno and the Arlecchino are more than cosmetic and that the prank like antics of the devils in the aforementioned antics reflect some carnivalesque aspects.^[10]

The first known appearance on stage of Hellequin is dated to 1262, the character of a masked and hooded devil in Jeu da la Feuillière by Adam de la Halle, and it became a stock character in French passion plays.<sup>[11]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlequin</sup>

Italian theatrical masks were part of the stage decor during the Purple Rain era...






Do you see the Pierrot head?

He talked to me about Mardi Gras and that "dark" side of him and his life here in Paris reminded me of Clopin Trouillefou. The earring, purple and all. Mayte being the perfect Esmeralda.

Innamorati Prince Charming Prince -



And the Beautiful Princess

CherryMoon57 said:

purplefam99 said:

Dude!!!! Cherrymoon57 your on fire with this freakin thread!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the feedback purplefam99! I am not a dude though

i use " dude" for wow!!! sorry about that tho. ))

Dude - US translation - can mean anything or anyone - depending how it's used.

CherryMoon57 said:

Italian theatrical masks were part of the stage decor during the Purple Rain era...






Do you see the Pierrot head?

i do there is one in every picture!!

Cool - didn't see all of them, purplefam!

Prince would have made a great New Orleanian - we adore a boa. All year round, not just Mardi Gras.

in the panel discussion "Remembering Prince" at about 1:05:00 panelist Carol ?

discusses how UTCM seems to her a nod to French Surrealist Erik Satie and the Surreal ballet he wrote entitled

"Parade". If you look at the Parade Ballet you can see the influence. She asserts that UTCM was

Prince's stab at "Black Surrealism" on film.

I can't seem to add pictures and links like you all. Sorry.

The Pierrot head is used in Surrealist paintings.

[Edited 10/9/17 15:51pm]

[Edited 10/9/17 15:53pm]

Poppys i agree that Prince would have made a great New Orleans resident full time. Boa's

all year long. that right there is why i think his perceived feminity was viewed by some to a lesser

degree. the pagentry that is common place in some parts of the world is just that common place.

It didn't read overly feminine to perhaps many southern state African American. (That of course is

my feeling) . it was not at all uncommon to see men going to church in canary yellow suits. They very much

embraced being a peacock. i feel that this festive way of decorating ones self was left over from the

tribal traditions of Africans thus not at all seen as feminine. Much like when one sees a Native American man outfitted in all his turquoise and sterling silver jewelry it doesn't read feminine.

i think in cultures where this is not a historical tradition it reads differently. but to stay

on track YES he would have lived well in New Orleans. i loved that Appolonia was from there in

the movie PR, i thought that a nod to his roots.

purplefam99 said:

Poppys i agree that Prince would have made a great New Orleans resident full time. Boa's

all year long. that right there is why i think his perceived feminity was viewed by some to a lesser

degree. the pagentry that is common place in some parts of the world is just that common place.

It didn't read overly feminine to perhaps many southern state African American. (That of course is

my feeling) . it was not at all uncommon to see men going to church in canary yellow suits. They very much

embraced being a peacock. i feel that this festive way of decorating ones self was left over from the

tribal traditions of Africans thus not at all seen as feminine. Much like when one sees a Native American man outfitted in all his turquoise and sterling silver jewelry it doesn't read feminine.

i think in cultures where this is not a historical tradition it reads differently. but to stay

on track YES he would have lived well in New Orleans. i loved that Appolonia was from there in

the movie PR, i thought that a nod to his roots.

friend.

There is a peacock tradition in European men, mostly seen in the royals today and in many historical artworks and paintings.




There are so many amazing aspects of New Orleans Mardi Gras. One is the Mardi Gras Indians, (African Americans) who spend much of the year sewing their suits by hand. When the different tribes come out on Mardi Gras Day, they say "I am the prettiest". Their followers respond with - "You are so pretty. You are the prettiest!"

[Edited 10/10/17 5:46am]

purplefam99 said:

CherryMoon57 said:

Italian theatrical masks were part of the stage decor during the Purple Rain era...






Do you see the Pierrot head?

i do there is one in every picture!!

You must have really good eyes lol. I can only see a Pierrot in three of the photos (unless you include the theatre masks as well).

CherryMoon57 said:

purplefam99 said:

i do there is one in every picture!!

You must have really good eyes lol. I can only see a Pierrot in three of the photos (unless you include the theatre masks as well).

yes 1 big doll, 2 mini dolls and 2 masks (i was including them)

poppys said:

purplefam99 said:

Poppys i agree that Prince would have made a great New Orleans resident full time. Boa's

all year long. that right there is why i think his perceived feminity was viewed by some to a lesser

degree. the pagentry that is common place in some parts of the world is just that common place.

It didn't read overly feminine to perhaps many southern state African American. (That of course is

my feeling) . it was not at all uncommon to see men going to church in canary yellow suits. They very much

embraced being a peacock. i feel that this festive way of decorating ones self was left over from the

tribal traditions of Africans thus not at all seen as feminine. Much like when one sees a Native American man outfitted in all his turquoise and sterling silver jewelry it doesn't read feminine.

i think in cultures where this is not a historical tradition it reads differently. but to stay

on track YES he would have lived well in New Orleans. i loved that Appolonia was from there in

the movie PR, i thought that a nod to his roots.

friend.

There is a peacock tradition in European men, mostly seen in the royals today and in many historical artworks and paintings.




There are so many amazing aspects of New Orleans Mardi Gras. One is the Mardi Gras Indians, (African Americans) who spend much of the year sewing their suits by hand. When the different tribes come out on Mardi Gras Day, they say "I am the prettiest". Their followers respond with - "You are so pretty. You are the prettiest!"

[Edited 10/10/17 5:46am]

oh yes!!!! so true!!! look at that pink peacock!!!! preparing all year, i love it!!!!

purplefam99 said:

Poppys i agree that Prince would have made a great New Orleans resident full time. Boa's

all year long. that right there is why i think his perceived feminity was viewed by some to a lesser

degree. the pagentry that is common place in some parts of the world is just that common place.

It didn't read overly feminine to perhaps many southern state African American. (That of course is

my feeling) . it was not at all uncommon to see men going to church in canary yellow suits. They very much

embraced being a peacock. i feel that this festive way of decorating ones self was left over from the

tribal traditions of Africans thus not at all seen as feminine. Much like when one sees a Native American man outfitted in all his turquoise and sterling silver jewelry it doesn't read feminine.

i think in cultures where this is not a historical tradition it reads differently. but to stay

on track YES he would have lived well in New Orleans. i loved that Appolonia was from there in

the movie PR, i thought that a nod to his roots.

A lot of Prince's style was based on Victorian Edwardian and 1800 European styles of pirates and buccaneers

Trenches ruffled shirts and garters. The Victorian period especially was very flamboyant.

And French / Spanish / Creole styles from the 1700-1800s

Mardis Gras an ethnic/cultural mix of French and African religious and sexual expressions

The movie Amadeus inspired a lot of the style seen during the Purple Rain - Lovesexy period, that also came out in the Diamonds & Pearls - Come period and the NPS - Rave eras

Prince was really turned on after seeing that movie.

Blade Runner(movie) and the IdolMaker had heavy influences on Prince as well

all the dolls and clowns we started seeing in the 1983 period very reminiscent of the Blade Runner movie which was also a favorite of Prince

movies from the 1940 and the stars and starlettes have been a lifetime love of Prince's

Feather boas(that came from the Victorian era and even a bit earlier) and grand Hollywood style always had a big impact on Prince

Italian pianist Liberace was a huge inspiration for Prince as well in that grand kind of way