Arlequí Màscares (CLOSED)

The Catalan tradition of building representative figures out of cardboard (giants, big-heads, puppets, and beastly creatures that take part in festivals) is the essence of this mask-making business, which covers masks from Greek tragedies to Comedia dell'Arte, French tradition to Catalan theatre, and even the Japanese 'Noh'. This variety is rounded out by the creations of Jaume Serra and Samira Badran who, after studying Fine Arts in Italy, set up Arlequín Máscaras in Montjuïc's Poble Espanyol in 1982. Their assests include some 300 models of masks that can be mass-produced without losing their artisanal character. Tourists, collectors, and those involved in the stage arts and festivals are the clientele of this shop on C/Princesa where, in addition to the masks you can also find many other cardboard and papier mâché objects. Masks have even come into fashion for weddings. The latest trend is the 'catrina', the irreverent and sharp skull created in 1910 by Mexican engraver, illustrator and cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada. The 'catrina' was named by Mexican artist Diego Rivera, and it reminds us that life is a Carnival.