16th century, drawing, Europe, fooleum, Latin, Netherlands, primary source
​This pen and ink sketch in the margins of an early copy of Erasmus’ Praise of Folly is one of 82 done by Hans Holbein (1497/98-1543) and his elder brother Ambrosius. In this drawing, the self-appointed goddess Folly, having given a sermon of brazen...
20th century, drawing, Europe, fictive fool, fooleum, Netherlands, primary source
This eye-catching drawing is by Leo Schatz, a Dutch artist who was a member of the resistance during the Second World War in the Netherlands. In trying to understand what might have prompted this curious untitled sketch, featuring two men in profile with elongated...
18th century, dramatic character, England, fooleum, primary source
This arresting drawing, by the Swiss artist Henry Fuseli (Johann Heinrich Füssli) (1741-1825), depicts Edgar feigning madness and approaching King Lear whose madness is painfully real. Its clean, strong lines seem to echo Blake’s style. Also on Lear, see this...
