Kay Dick bought a painting of Pierrot in the 1950s and immediately embarked on a personal quest to discover the reality behind the figure. Who was Pierrot exactly? What did he symbolise?

Her unrivalled study of Pierrot is the story of dramatic social history and folklore, and a classic study of the the commedia dell’ arte. With impeccable research and compelling stories, Dick traces different interpretations of the role of Pierrot – as a romantic, tragic and revolutionary character – and reveals how each contributed to the creation of the single portrait we recognise today. She shows how Pierrot and his companions – Pantaloon, the Captain (Scaramouche), the Doctor, Pulcinella (Punch), Harlequin, Brighella and Colombine – have each been part of European theatrical folklore since the 16th century and how they have also consistently remained recognisable against the shifting social circumstances. She argues that Pierrot’s drama can be seen as an illustration of the whole of the human comedy, with striking parallels in our contemporary world.