16th century, bibliography, Europe, fooleum, journal paper, Netherlands, painting, research
Cavalli-Björkman, at the time curator at the National Museum in Stockholm, wrote this paper when the museum acquired the ‘Laughing Jester’, the first in our ‘Five Guys Named Moe’ series of fool-peeping-through-fingers paintings, this one also...
16th century, bibliography, England, Europe, journal paper, research, Scotland
Archibald (‘Archy’) Armstrong was the brazenly outspoken court jester of both James VI of Scotland / I of England (r. 1567/1603-1625) and his successor, Charles I (r. 1625-49). He enjoyed various privileges, such as the freedom of the city of Aberdeen and...
16th century, bibliography, Europe, French, journal paper, Netherlands, research, Spain
Cécile Beuzelin’s paper presents two 16th century double portraits, one by Antonis Mor (1519-75) and one anonymous (but previously attributed to Frans Floris). Both feature the dwarf Estanilao who served Cardinal Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle (1517-86), a...
15th century, 16th century, bibliography, Europe, historical figure, Italy, journal paper, research
This richly illustrated paper looks at dwarfs in Italian Renaissance art, shining a light on complex and even contradictory attitudes to physical and mental alterity, with a certain revulsion at deformity existing in conjunction with an admiration for nature’s...
16th century, 17th century, bibliography, Europe, Germany, journal paper, research
This short paper describes and reflects on an intriguing German engraving (c. 1600) by an unknown artist, which features a Large Head of a Jester and an inscription beneath.Wearing a traditional jester’s cap, complete with coxcomb and bells, and various badges,...
10th century, Arabic, bibliography, Egypt, historical figure, journal paper, research
Mathieu Tillier’s paper brings to light the 10th century ‘wise fool’ (ʿuqalāʾal‐maǧānīn) who rode a donkey or walked through the streets of Fusṭāṭ. Abū Bakr Muḥammad b. Mūsā b. ʿAbd al‐ʿAzīz al‐Kindī al‐ was known as Sībawayh (‘the...
3rd millennium BCE, bibliography, English, Greece, Greek, journal paper, Mesopotamia, Middle East, primary source, research
‘When did professional jesters become a part of civilized society, and in particular a part of court and temple personnel?’ (p. 187)Maddalena Rumor’s paper poses a big question and moots the possibility of an early start to the jester as a...
