Jester Collection

The Yeoman of the Guard by Ws Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan
Promotional postcard for The Yeomen of the Guard by W. S. Gilbert; music Arthur Sullivan. First produced Savoy Theatre, 3rd October 1888

Jolly Joker Playing Card
A classic image of a jester, wearing cap and bells, playing a flute, a ninny stick, or jesters wand, attached to his belt

Les Saltimbanques, 1874 (oil on canvas)
EDI187971 Les Saltimbanques, 1874 (oil on canvas) by Dore, Gustave (1832-83); Private Collection; French, out of copyright

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

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, have been awarded the Joint Showbiz Award by the Variety Cub of Great Britain, enjoy a quick celebratory drink before going on stage at the Palace Theatre, Manchester

Drunk Warrior and Court Jester, Italian painting of 19th century. Artist: Casimiro Tomba
Drunk Warrior and Court Jester, Italian painting of 19th century. Tomba, Casimiro (1857-1929). Found in the collection of the M. Kroshitsky Art Museum, Sevastopol

Christmas card, Shakespearean jesters
Christmas Card - May you be merry and lack nothing (based on a quotation from Shakespeares Henry IV Part 2) - two medieval jesters dancing. circa 1935

Jester carrying a wassail bowl
A jester in red and blue costume, carrying a wassail bowl and enjoying the aroma coming from it. Wassail was a medieval drink, a kind of punch made from hot mulled cider

Gulliver in Brobdingnag
He is tormented by the Kings jester, who is jealous of his small size

Jester in cap and bells
A jester, traditionally dressed in cap and bells, holding a stick with a jesters likeness, variously known as a jester stick, fools wand or ninny stick

Hamlet at the Grave
Hamlet at the grave moralises on the skull of the jester Yorick

Carnival, Venice, Veneto, Italy, Europe

Carnival, Venice, Veneto, Italy, Europe

A for Alsatian and Harlequin, around 1920 (print)
8600164 A for Alsatian and Harlequin, around 1920 (print) by French School, (20th century); 31x24 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: in "Alphabet du bal costume", Hachette, publisher)

16th century red and yellow Jesters Cap costume map of the world
16th century Jesters Cap map of the world 1590

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

The Joker - Playing Card
A classic image of a jester, wearing cap and bells, playing a flute, a ninny stick, or jesters wand, attached to his belt. Date: 19th century

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

Feasting in the Middle Ages by Pauline Baynes
A detailed scene depicting a medieval feast with a jester and performing monkeys entertaining diners while they are served exotic looking roast birds (heron and peacock). 1958

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

Jester Playing Flute
A French jester with his flute

15th Century Jester
A French court jester, in traditional outfit, with cap and bells, carrying a ninny stick, or jesters wand

Poe / Cask of Amontillado
THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO Fortunato, dressed as a clown, is duped into a trip to the vaults

Taillefer the Troubadour in Advance of Williams Army (colour litho)
7181631 Taillefer the Troubadour in Advance of Williams Army (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Taillefer the Troubadour in Advance of Williams Army)

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

Clown heads on nine Victorian scraps. Date: circa 1890s

Carnival, Venice, Veneto, Italy, Europe

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

The Graphic Christmas Number front cover 1932
Front cover of The Graphic Christmas Number for 1932 with an illustration of a lively medieval banquet, with a jester ushering an enormous boars head on a platter. Date: 1932

Costume / Men / Jester 14C
A medieval court jester in two-tone yellow and black, with bells and bladder

Henri Iv, his Birth
HENRI IV, KING OF FRANCE his birth : his mother, Jeanne d Albret, queen of Navarre, is surrounded by courtiers, but the jester doesn t seem at all interested, nor does the dog

As you Like its / Speare
Rosalind, Celia and Touchstone in the Forest of Arden

Inn-Yard Play / C16 / Swain
A performance of Shakespeares Twelfth night is given in the yard of an inn

Louisiana, New Orleans, Mardi Gras Jester Statue, Riverwalk

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

A voluptuous, haggard dude, 1964. Creator: Franz Xaver Messerschmidt
A voluptuous, haggard dude, 1964

A medieval court jester
A court jester - a historical entertainer either employed to entertain a ruler or other nobility in medieval or Tudor times

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band perform at The Reading Festival on Saturday 25th August 1973. They were billed simply as Alex Harvey

Slate Plaque, Neville Northy Burnard (1818-1878)
Slate plaque of the head of a bearded man, wearing a medieval hat and coif. A coif was a close-fitting linen cap that that tied under the chin - it was worn by both men and women

Scene de Carnaval (pen and black ink & w/c)
XOS5884175 Scene de Carnaval (pen and black ink & w/c) by Debucourt, Philibert Louis (1755-1832); 30.6x44.5 cm; Cleveland Museum of Art, OH, USA; (add.info.: Drawing by Philibert Louis Debucourt)

E for Escuyer du Roi et Espagnole - F for Folie et Farfadet - G for Gypsy and Greek Warrior, around 1920 (print)
8600170 E for Escuyer du Roi et Espagnole - F for Folie et Farfadet - G for Gypsy and Greek Warrior, around 1920 (print) by French School

F for Folie et Farfadet - G for Gypsy and Greek Warrior, around 1920 (print)
8600172 F for Folie et Farfadet - G for Gypsy and Greek Warrior, around 1920 (print) by French School, (20th century); 31x24 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

C for Clown and Columbine - D for Dancer and Dragon, around 1920 (print)
8600166 C for Clown and Columbine - D for Dancer and Dragon, around 1920 (print) by French School, (20th century); 31x24 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: in "Alphabet du bal costume")

C for Clown and Columbine, ca. 1920 (print)
8600167 C for Clown and Columbine, ca. 1920 (print) by French School, (20th century); 31x24 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: in "Alphabet du bal costume", Hachette, publisher, Paris)

Riga - view of the city on the bank of the river Daugava, c. 1700
3794194 Riga - view of the city on the bank of the river Daugava, c. 1700.; (add.info.: Riga - view of the city on the bank of the river Daugava, c. 1700)

Fool's Cap World Map, c.1590 (hand-coloured engraving on off-white paper, with inscriptions in iron gall ink)
1217928 Fool's Cap World Map, c.1590 (hand-coloured engraving on off-white paper, with inscriptions in iron gall ink) by Unknown Artist, (16th century); 49.7x38.8 cm; Ashmolean Museum

Court Fool
3782179 Court Fool; (add.info.: Court Fool, reproduced from a woodcut in a 1552 folio of Sebastian Munster's Cosmographie Universelle)

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The jester, a timeless symbol of mirth and folly, has captivated audiences throughout history. From the Jolly Joker Playing Card to the Italian painting by Casimiro Tomba depicting a Drunk Warrior and Court Jester, their presence is undeniable. In one image, we see a jester carrying a wassail bowl, spreading cheer with every step. Another snapshot showcases Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise receiving the prestigious Joint Showbiz Award for their comedic genius. Even in Christmas cards adorned with Shakespearean jesters, they bring laughter to our festive celebrations. Just like Gulliver in Brobdingnag or Hamlet at the Grave, jesters have always been there to lighten even the darkest moments. Les Saltimbanques immortalized on canvas in 1874 captures their vibrant energy as they entertain crowds under colorful tents. No discussion about jesters would be complete without mentioning Carnival in Venice - an extravaganza where these mischievous characters reign supreme. Their cap and bells create an aura of whimsy that enchants all who witness them perform. And let's not forget the 16th-century red and yellow Jesters Cap costume map of the world - a playful representation of how jesters transcend borders and cultures with their universal appeal. Whether it's through art or live performances, jesters continue to remind us of the power of laughter, and are more than just entertainers; they are keepers of joy who remind us not to take life too seriously.