Fool Collection

Harlequin and Death, 1907. Artist: Somov, Konstantin Andreyevich (1869-1939)
Harlequin and Death, 1907. Found in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Portrait of a Jester with a Lute (oil on canvas)
PWI90022 Portrait of a Jester with a Lute (oil on canvas) by Hals, Frans (1582/3-1666); Louvre, Paris, France; ePeter Willi; Dutch, out of copyright

Cartoon, Mermaids and U-Boats, WW1
Cartoon, Mermaids and U-Boats. Two mermaids and two fish are disturbed by a German U-boat which has a face like a shark. Date: 1917

Tarot Card 22 - Le Fou (The Fool)
Tarot Card 22 - Le Fou or Le Mat (The Fool)

Mr Popple Drunk 1898
After a convivial hunt breakfast at Hopham Hall, Mr Popple is found drunk and disorderly in charge of a horse

Tarot Card Fool 17C
TAROT LE FOU (The Fool)

April Fool / Coats 1924
April Fool: Two coats and hats on a stand, looking at first glance like a couple embracing

Comedian Ken Dodd with his Diddy Man Dicky Mint at Whitley Bay Playhouse on 9th December 1989

Leaving the Masqued Ball. Artist: Garcia y Ramos, Jose (1852-1912)
Leaving the Masqued Ball. Found in the collection of Museo Carmen Thyssen, Malaga

Court Jester dressed in red and blue wearing bells, stepping forward

Medical prescription, satirical artwork
Medical prescription. Satirical artwork titled Of Prescribing Foolishly, showing a patient in bed with a doctor in a fools hat (right) holding aloft a proposed treatment

Stonewall Jackson (1824-1863). American military. Portrait (1864) by J.W. King. National Portrait Gallery. Washington D.C. United States

Fight between Carnival and Lent, 1559 (oil on oak panel)
XAM634 Fight between Carnival and Lent, 1559 (oil on oak panel) by Bruegel, Pieter the Elder (c.1525-69); 26.5x39.4 cm; Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

SHAKESPEARE: KING LEAR. King Lear and the Fool. Illustration by Alonzo Chappel (1828-1887)

Advertising poster for the aperitif Diablerets (colour lithograph)
1770036 Advertising poster for the aperitif Diablerets (colour lithograph) by D Ylen, Jean (1866-1938); 128x90 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Advertising poster for the aperitif Diablerets)

Theatre National de l Opera, Grand bal de la Mi-Careme, 1921. Private Collection

Satirical ballooning image
A rude satirical image of large and small balloons tied together, lifting a cannon, entitled The Montgolsier. A first rate of the French Aerial Navy. A Fart, an Ass, a Fool, A Monkey, a Nothing. 1783

At the theatre / Ally Sloper
Ally Sloper visits his daughter behind the scenes at the theatre, although he oughtn t be standing there on stage right in front of the audience just as the curtain is rising

The Wrestling Scene in As You Like It, 1854 (oil on canvas)
1199485 The Wrestling Scene in As You Like It, 1854 (oil on canvas) by Maclise, Daniel (Croquis, Alfred) (1806-70); 129x177.1 cm; Private Collection; Photo © Christies Images

Midas, Transmuting all into [Gold] Paper, pub. 1797 (hand coloured engraving)
2966815 Midas, Transmuting all into [Gold] Paper, pub. 1797 (hand coloured engraving) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); Private Collection; (add.info)

MYTTON / SHORT CUT HOME
JOHN MYTTON To win a bet that he could outride a friend this eccentric squire took a short cut through a lake despite the fact he couldnt swim. Date: 1796 - 1834

JOHN RICH (1682-1761). English actor, father of English pantomine. Dancing the role of Harlequin under the stage name of Lun. Engraving, English, 1818

Polly's Clown, 1946 (oil on canvasboard)
651156 Polly's Clown, 1946 (oil on canvasboard) by Shinn, Everett (1876-1953); 40.2x30.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Polly's Clown. Everett Shinn (1876-1953). Oil on canvasboard

The Juggling Clown, (oil on panel)
650737 The Juggling Clown, (oil on panel) by Shinn, Everett (1876-1953); 25.3x20.2 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Juggling Clown. Everett Shinn (1876-1953). Oil on panel

Happy Guy, 1944 (oil on canvas)
650489 Happy Guy, 1944 (oil on canvas) by Shinn, Everett (1876-1953); 61x51 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Happy Guy. Everett Shinn (1876-1953). Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 1944

Clown on Empty Seats, 1947 (oil on board)
823006 Clown on Empty Seats, 1947 (oil on board) by Shinn, Everett (1876-1953); 25.5x20.3 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Clown on Empty Seats. Everett Shinn (1876-1953). Oil on board

Clown with Drum, (oil on canvas laid down on panel)
823005 Clown with Drum, (oil on canvas laid down on panel) by Shinn, Everett (1876-1953); 30x24.8 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Clown with Drum. Everett Shinn (1876-1953)

Maiolica albarello, possibly Catalan, late 16th century
BAL6874 Maiolica albarello, possibly Catalan, late 16th century; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK.

Drunken farmer Jones buying the entire stock of wooden tools from old squinty-eyed Nan
FLO4718005 Drunken farmer Jones buying the entire stock of wooden tools from old squinty-eyed Nan. Copperplate engraving after a satirical illustration by Timothy Bobbin (John Collier) (1708-1786)

Tarot card of The Fool - Jergot Tarot. 17th century (object)
534295 Tarot card of The Fool - Jergot Tarot. 17th century (object); (add.info.: Tarot pack of 22 cards was used in fortune telling.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

A fool from "La Fonti" at the Academie Imperiale de Musique
5855484 A fool from "La Fonti" at the Academie Imperiale de Musique; (add.info.: A fool from "La Fonti" at the Academie Imperiale de Musique)

Religious satire showing a priest in a barrel preaching to a crowd of misfits and oddities, cows and chickens
FLO4718244 Religious satire showing a priest in a barrel preaching to a crowd of misfits and oddities, cows and chickens. Copperplate engraving by Thomas Sanders after a satirical illustration by

Three ugly country bumpkins in competition over their looks. Copperplate engraving by Thomas Sanders after a satirical
FLO4718340 Three ugly country bumpkins in competition over their looks. Copperplate engraving by Thomas Sanders after a satirical illustration by Timothy Bobbin (John Collier) (1708-1786)

The fool or jester, le Fou, 15th century. In hat with bells, short jacket with long sleeves, two-colour hose
5912943 The fool or jester, le Fou, 15th century. In hat with bells, short jacket with long sleeves, two-colour hose, holding a marotte

A Fool being visited by death
3478599 A Fool being visited by death; (add.info.: Illustration depicting a fool being visited by 'death'. Dated 16th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

The Shepherds' Calendar, 1480-90 (gold ink & ink on parchment)
8682933 The Shepherds' Calendar, 1480-90 (gold ink & ink on parchment) by French School, (15th century); Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge

King Cheer - drawn by James Godwin, 1864. Creator: Mason Jackson
King Cheer - drawn by James Godwin, 1864. Illustration to a poem by George MacDonald. 'King Cheer he reigned in Aureoland

Maschere, 1922. Creator: Malerba, Gian Emilio (1880-1926)
Maschere, 1922. Found in the Collection of the Galleria nazionale d'arte moderna, Rom.

Portrait of a Fool, c.1550. Creator: Verbeeck, Frans (c. 1510-1570)
Portrait of a Fool, c.1550. Private Collection

Laughing Jester, Made 1540s. Creator: Unknown
Laughing Jester, Made 1540s

Cooper with Tub, early 19th century. Creator: Unknown
Cooper with Tub, early 19th century

Two Caricatures, between c1760 and c1770. Creator: Unknown
Two Caricatures, between c1760 and c1770

Battle between Carnival and Lent, c.1600-c.1620. Creator: Jheronimus Bosch (manner of)
Battle between Carnival and Lent, c.1600-c.1620. A little man playing the bagpipes who personifies the carnival is being carried on a table out of the kitchen on the left

A Fool Holding a Jug, known as ‘The Jolly Drinker, 1629. Creator: Judith Leyster
A Fool Holding a Jug, known as The Jolly Drinker, 1629

The Old Woman and The Fool in a Window, c. 1480. Creator: Monogrammist b. g
The Old Woman and The Fool in a Window, c. 1480

Le roi Lear et son fou pendant la tempête, 1836. Creator: Louis Candide Boulanger
Le roi Lear et son fou pendant la tempete, 1836. King Lear and his fool during the storm. King Lear, scene 2 of act III, the king sinks into madness. The rocky landscape echoes his torment

Keying Up, c.1885. Creator: William Merritt Chase
Keying Up, c.1885

A jester, 1777/1783. Creator: Franz Xaver Messerschmidt
A jester, 1777/1783

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"Foolishness knows no bounds as it dances through the realms of imagination. From whimsical cartoons to enchanting mermaids and treacherous U-Boats, the fool's journey takes unexpected turns. In the midst of WW1 chaos, Tarot Card 22 - Le Fou (The Fool) reminds us that even in darkness, laughter can be found. Step back in time to Mr Popple Drunk's misadventures in 1898, where his antics left everyone rolling with laughter. The Tarot Card Fool from the 17th century captures the essence of a jester's unpredictable nature. April Fool's Day brings out coats adorned with playful pranks in 1924, while Shakespeare's King Lear finds solace and wisdom through his loyal companion, the Fool. Alonzo Chappel beautifully illustrates their bond. Comedian Ken Dodd tickles funny bones alongside his Diddy Man Dicky Mint at Whitley Bay Playhouse on December 9th. Their comedic chemistry creates an uproar of joy among audiences. A court jester dressed in red and blue dons bells as they bravely step forward to entertain kings and queens throughout history. Their colorful presence adds mirth to solemn courts. Satirical artwork mocks medical prescriptions, reminding us not to take life too seriously. Laughter truly is the best medicine for our souls. In a wrestling scene straight out of Shakespeare's "As You Like It, " humor intertwines with drama as characters grapple both physically and mentally for amusement and triumph. Stonewall Jackson himself knew that amidst war's gravity, lighthearted moments could bring respite from battlefields soaked in sorrow. Finally, a timeless painting depicts Carnival playfully clashing with Lent – a reminder that even tradition cannot suppress foolishness entirely. "