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...
16th century, Europe, fictive fool, fooleum, Netherlands, painting, primary source
The last in this series of paintings (for now, I keep stumbling across new ones) bears a striking resemblance to our mysterious Moe No. 4. This one, too, I found on an auction site. Said to be the work of the Master of 1537, who worked in Mechelen and whose name...
16th century, Europe, fictive fool, fooleum, German, Germany, primary source, woodcut
The latest in our series of fools peeping through their fingers, this one is a woodcut by Heinrich Vogtherr the Younger (1513-68), dated to around 1540 and so slightly later than the preceding paintings on the same theme.  He has the cap and bells complete with ass...
16th century, book, Europe, primary source
Today’s the day you can be sureYou can’t avoid and shouldn’t ignore,The day that we can all affordto lark about and at last accordOurselves the time to take time outAnd raise a glass and merrily shoutIn praise of Folly, the saucy goddess whoBrings...
17th century, dramatic character, England, Europe, primary source, quotes
A marvelous line from As You Like It demonstrating the power of the fool to see and expose the folly of the allegedly wise with even just a passing glance. The wiseman’s folly is anatomiz’d / Even by the squand’ring glances of the fool. Source:...
19th century, Europe, Italian, Italy, primary source, quotes
This Italian quotation suggests that in a crazy world the only sane person is the one who plays the fool. It reminds me of a saying by an English clown that the fool stands on his head and sees the world the right way up. These are late echoes of a European medieval...
16th century, bibliography, book, canon, Europe, fictive fool, Latin, Netherlands, primary source, quotes
Rulers, for all the advantages they enjoy, seem to me in one respect most disadvantaged: they’ve nobody from whom they can hear the truth; in place of friends they’re lumbered with flatterers. p. 45The Moriae Encomium by Erasmus (1469-1536), written in...
