During the Middle Ages, mime continued to be performed, but its status declined as spoken dramas gained popularity. However, mime had a major revival during the Italian Renaissance, where it was associated with the "commedia dell'arte" tradition. These itinerant troupes of actors relied heavily on physical comedy and gestures to deliver their performances.
Mime began to emerge as a modern art form in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the work of performers such as Jean-Gaspard Deburau and Étienne Decroux. Deburau popularized the concept of silent mime, where physicality and gesture alone were used to tell a story. Meanwhile, Decroux developed a new method of mime known as "corporeal mime," which emphasizes the expressive potential of the body in creating visual language.
Modern mime encompasses various styles and interpretations. From traditional silent mime to more physically expressive and contemporary approaches, mime artists use body language, gestures, and facial expressions to communicate ideas and stories without using spoken words. Notable mime artists of the 20th century include Charlie Chaplin, Marcel Marceau, and Bill Irwin, who helped broaden the appeal of mime and bring it to international audiences.
Mime remains an important art form today, finding applications in performance art, physical theater, educational workshops, and even therapeutic contexts. As a non-verbal language, mime transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, encouraging individuals to appreciate and interpret visual expression without the limitation of words.