17th century, England, English, Europe, fooleum, painting, primary source, Stuart
This early 17th century painting of two jesters and a marotte (fool’s head bauble or stick) taps into the theme of ‘Who’s the missing fool?’ in which an image posed a visual quandary. The painting is entitled ‘We three...
18th century, 19th century, carving, England, Europe, fooleum, primary source
These charming carved jesters’ heads are thought to have been used as signs for apothecaries. According to the Wellcome Collection, which owns both examples, before the widespread use of street address numbers, such signs would have been used to help people,...
16th century, Europe, fooleum, Germany, Netherlands, painting, primary source, woodcut
Having posted individual notes on an enigmatic series of similar paintings, it feels time to pull them together in one place, also allowing the various finger-peeping fools to be viewed alongside each other. We will soon add some related prints and in the meantime,...
16th century, Europe, fooleum, Netherlands, primary source, tapestry
This lively 16th century tapestry includes a jester – capering or leaping – in full fool’s outfit. In addition to the cap and bells, he has bells around the bottom of his tunic and in leg bands like a Morris dancer. He is also waving a marotte...
17th century, Europe, fooleum, Germany
It is unlikely that historical jesters wore the stock costume of ‘cap and bells’ so visible in medieval and some later iconography, and so prevalent in the Western conception of the court jester. Â So I was delighted and intrigued to spot this 17th century...
16th century, Europe, fictive fool, fooleum, Netherlands, painting, primary source
This version of the ‘peeping through fingers’ jester was attributed by Tietze-Conrat in her 1957 book to the artist Pieter Huys (c. 1519-81), although the art historian Cavalli-Björkman has questioned this and further moots the possibility that this...
