The Harlequin character is a staple in Italy’s commedia dell'arte, embodying archetypal characteristics ripe for frequent reexamination. Pablo Picasso reveled in this return to reliable subject matter and the challenge of innovating with each subsequent iteration. A frequent collaborator with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, Picasso designed the costumes and sets for the company’s 1920 staging of the ballet Pulcinella, where Harlequin and other commedia dell'arte characters came to life in a setting envisioned by the artist.