DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.74283#0101
THE DANCERS
83
time.162 All the masks, however, represent a single type—and this
type is to be found in the majority of the Schembart books—the
smooth, fresh face of a youth.163 It is interesting to compare this
mask with that of the "Roller" in the Schemenlaujen in Imst, for
here, too, the mask is formalized and handsome, indeed, feminine
in its beauty.164 Similar stylized masks appear in other folk
festivals of today, and some of these are definitely feminine masks,
though the wearers are men, for example the "Schemme" of the
Villingen or Donaueschingen "Hansele,"165 and the mask of the
162 The decrees of clerical and secular authorities and the iconography of the
period provide us with abundant evidence of masking throughout the Middle
Ages. For a comprehensive study of the subject cf. Stumpfl (Masken); the decrees
are cited here, pp. 36ff. Cf. further Hampe (Theaterwesen), pp. 13, n. 3, 229,
Nr. 18, 19; Baader, p. 92. A note in Michael Behaim's accounts is of special in-
terest in this connection, cf. Schultz, p. 411, Anm. 1: "Item 1497 am montag nach
Occuly (Febr. 27) zalt ich dem maister Sebolt (Schiirstab) maler durch mein
knecht Jorgen fur ein schempart facit summa 35 den." There do not seem to be
any medieval masks preserved; the material presented in J. Gregor, Die Masken der
Erde (Miinchen: Piper, 1936), Tafel 43, 45, 46, seems to be of little value here.
An examination by Hilda Emmel, Masken in volkstiimlichen deutschen Spielen
(Jena: "Deutsche Arbeiten der Universitat Koln," Bd. 10, 1936), p. 73 of all the
masks in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum failed to convince her that any were
as old as the Schembartlauf. The dark brown mask of the costume labelled "Niirn-
berger Schambartlaufen" in the Bayrisches Nationalmuseum (Room 65) is of
eighteenth-century origin. R. Koenig, Deutsche Litteraturgeschichte (Bielefeld und
Leipzig: Velhagen und Klasing, 1899), Abb. 51, reproduces two "Schbnbartlarven
aus Holz," but does not indicate their provenance; they are no doubt modern
folk masks. The tradition of mask-making was highly developed in Nuremberg,
cf. the following comment by J. Frhr. v. Hormayr, "Sitten und Gebrauche,"
in Taschenbuch fur die vaterliindische Geschichte (Miinchen: Neue Folge, 5. Jahr-
gang, 1834), p. 205: "Die Nurnberger Schonbartmacher trieben mit ihren Larven
und Visiren einen ansehnlichen Handel nach Spanien und Portugal.—In Rutland,
Schweden, Danemark waren die starkeren, besseren gegen die Kalte schiitzenden
Niirnberger Schonbarte beliebter als die leichteren franzosischen."
163 Cf. Scheinpart-spruch, 11. 50-2: "Ir kheiner het khein part./ Gleich schoner
jiingling art/ Ir scheinpart nach dem besten." The lack of a beard symbolizes to
Hans Sachs the blind youth of the rebels in 1348, cf. 11. 244-9: "Ich sagt: Was
deudt die art,/ Das keyner hat khein part?/ Er sprach: Das selb bedeudt:/ Jung
unerfaren leudt/ Inn der auffruhr verblendt/ Bedachten nit das endt." It was,
however, the fashion during at least the first half of the period of the Schembartlauf
until 1490 for men to go without beards, cf. P. Post in Reallexikon zur deutschen
Kunstgeschichte (Stuttgart: J. G. Metzler, 1937), I, 1471-5 (illustrated); after 1490
divided or pointed beards were worn, cf. Boehn (MA), p. 230; Boehn (XVI), p.
116.
164 Cf. Schwabik, p. 81, Spamer (Handbuch), Abb. 75, Dorrer, opp. p. 4; the
masks of the "Engelspritzer" and of the "Kiibele-Maje" in the Imst festival are of
this nature also, cf. Schwabik, pp. 77, 80.
165 Cf. Fehrle, Abb. 7; for an artistic reproduction cf. Ilse Schneider-Lengyel, Die
Welt der Maske (Miinchen: R. Piper & Co., 1934), Pl. 65.
83
time.162 All the masks, however, represent a single type—and this
type is to be found in the majority of the Schembart books—the
smooth, fresh face of a youth.163 It is interesting to compare this
mask with that of the "Roller" in the Schemenlaujen in Imst, for
here, too, the mask is formalized and handsome, indeed, feminine
in its beauty.164 Similar stylized masks appear in other folk
festivals of today, and some of these are definitely feminine masks,
though the wearers are men, for example the "Schemme" of the
Villingen or Donaueschingen "Hansele,"165 and the mask of the
162 The decrees of clerical and secular authorities and the iconography of the
period provide us with abundant evidence of masking throughout the Middle
Ages. For a comprehensive study of the subject cf. Stumpfl (Masken); the decrees
are cited here, pp. 36ff. Cf. further Hampe (Theaterwesen), pp. 13, n. 3, 229,
Nr. 18, 19; Baader, p. 92. A note in Michael Behaim's accounts is of special in-
terest in this connection, cf. Schultz, p. 411, Anm. 1: "Item 1497 am montag nach
Occuly (Febr. 27) zalt ich dem maister Sebolt (Schiirstab) maler durch mein
knecht Jorgen fur ein schempart facit summa 35 den." There do not seem to be
any medieval masks preserved; the material presented in J. Gregor, Die Masken der
Erde (Miinchen: Piper, 1936), Tafel 43, 45, 46, seems to be of little value here.
An examination by Hilda Emmel, Masken in volkstiimlichen deutschen Spielen
(Jena: "Deutsche Arbeiten der Universitat Koln," Bd. 10, 1936), p. 73 of all the
masks in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum failed to convince her that any were
as old as the Schembartlauf. The dark brown mask of the costume labelled "Niirn-
berger Schambartlaufen" in the Bayrisches Nationalmuseum (Room 65) is of
eighteenth-century origin. R. Koenig, Deutsche Litteraturgeschichte (Bielefeld und
Leipzig: Velhagen und Klasing, 1899), Abb. 51, reproduces two "Schbnbartlarven
aus Holz," but does not indicate their provenance; they are no doubt modern
folk masks. The tradition of mask-making was highly developed in Nuremberg,
cf. the following comment by J. Frhr. v. Hormayr, "Sitten und Gebrauche,"
in Taschenbuch fur die vaterliindische Geschichte (Miinchen: Neue Folge, 5. Jahr-
gang, 1834), p. 205: "Die Nurnberger Schonbartmacher trieben mit ihren Larven
und Visiren einen ansehnlichen Handel nach Spanien und Portugal.—In Rutland,
Schweden, Danemark waren die starkeren, besseren gegen die Kalte schiitzenden
Niirnberger Schonbarte beliebter als die leichteren franzosischen."
163 Cf. Scheinpart-spruch, 11. 50-2: "Ir kheiner het khein part./ Gleich schoner
jiingling art/ Ir scheinpart nach dem besten." The lack of a beard symbolizes to
Hans Sachs the blind youth of the rebels in 1348, cf. 11. 244-9: "Ich sagt: Was
deudt die art,/ Das keyner hat khein part?/ Er sprach: Das selb bedeudt:/ Jung
unerfaren leudt/ Inn der auffruhr verblendt/ Bedachten nit das endt." It was,
however, the fashion during at least the first half of the period of the Schembartlauf
until 1490 for men to go without beards, cf. P. Post in Reallexikon zur deutschen
Kunstgeschichte (Stuttgart: J. G. Metzler, 1937), I, 1471-5 (illustrated); after 1490
divided or pointed beards were worn, cf. Boehn (MA), p. 230; Boehn (XVI), p.
116.
164 Cf. Schwabik, p. 81, Spamer (Handbuch), Abb. 75, Dorrer, opp. p. 4; the
masks of the "Engelspritzer" and of the "Kiibele-Maje" in the Imst festival are of
this nature also, cf. Schwabik, pp. 77, 80.
165 Cf. Fehrle, Abb. 7; for an artistic reproduction cf. Ilse Schneider-Lengyel, Die
Welt der Maske (Miinchen: R. Piper & Co., 1934), Pl. 65.