Why was the painting Gilles also called Pierrot?

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Watteau, Antoine: Mezzetin — Antoine Watteau *Mezzetin*, oil on canvas by Antoine Watteau, 1718–20; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 55.2 × 43.2 cm.

The painting by Jean-Antoine Watteau, now widely known as Pierrot, was historically referred to as Gilles. The name "Gilles" was a generic term for a clown in 17th-century France, likely derived from the acrobat and comedian Gilles le Niais.1

By the time Watteau painted the work around 1718–1719, there was significant overlap between the character of Gilles and Pierrot, the leading clown of the commedia dell’arte, an Italian theatrical tradition that enjoyed immense popularity in France. Both figures represented the archetype of the innocent, often melancholy fool who captured the audience's affection. Because these characters shared similar traits and roles within the popular farcical performances of the era, the titles became interchangeable in reference to the painting.1