Jesters Hat Collection

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

Portrait of Pieter Cornelisz. Van der Morsch, 1741-1820. Creator: Abraham Delfos
Portrait of Pieter Cornelisz. Van der Morsch, 1741-1820. Also known as Piero Bode, the Leiden City jester. Possibly by Abraham Delfos after an anonymous painting

Les Bas-fonds de la société, 1864. Creator: Félicien Rops
Les Bas-fonds de la societe, 1864. From Les Bas-fonds de la Societe, frontispiece

Mr. Compton, of the Theatre Royal Haymarket, as "Touchstone", 1857. Creator: Joseph Swain. Mr
Mr. Compton, of the Theatre Royal Haymarket, as "Touchstone", 1857. Portrait from a photograph by Mayall. Henry Compton...has played the whole of that fine round of characters which are

Though Lost to Sight to Memory Dear, 1879. Artist: John Seymour Lucas
Though Lost to Sight to Memory Dear, 1879. A print from The Graphic, 1879

Eshu figure, Yoruba Culture, Nigeria (wood, cowries & leather)
PFR204776 Eshu figure, Yoruba Culture, Nigeria (wood, cowries & leather) by African School; 27x25 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: mediator betweem men and gods;); © Paul Freeman

Raising Loans from Navis Stultifera (Ship of Fools), Plate 24 from Woodcuts from... 1929
Raising Loans from Navis Stultifera (Ship of Fools), Plate 24 from Woodcuts from Books of the 15th Century, 1497, portfolio assembled 1929

Study for Cover, 1892. Creator: Philip William May
Study for Cover, 1892

Inhabited initial D depicting a fool (w / c & gold on vellum)
MMT278791 Inhabited initial D depicting a fool (w/c & gold on vellum) by Master M.Z.A. (15th century); Musee Marmottan Monet, Paris, France; (add.info.: Lombardy School; Inv)

Queen. Creator: Hans Holbein the Younger
Queen

Peasants Celebrating Twelfth Night, 1635. Creator: David Teniers II
Peasants Celebrating Twelfth Night, 1635

Fool with a Girl Looking Through Her Fingers. Creator: Werner Jacobsz. van den Valckert
Fool with a Girl Looking Through Her Fingers

Laughing Fool, ca. 1612. Creator: Werner Jacobsz. van den Valckert
Laughing Fool, ca. 1612

Queen, from the Dance of Death, 1651. Creator: Wenceslaus Hollar
Queen, from the Dance of Death, 1651

Musicians and Onlookers. Creator: Hans Schaufelein the Elder
Musicians and Onlookers

The Grand Review of the Juste-Milieu Passing La Caricature, October 30, 1832 (Grand revue passee par la caricature le 30 Octobre 1832), October 1832

Xmas Cheer - Borlans Provision Store, 1909. Creator: Unknown
Xmas Cheer - Borlans Provision Store, 1909. From " The British Printer Vol. XXII". [Raithby, Lawrence & Co. Ltd, London and Leicester, 1909]

Joker, c1929. From Cir-Q-Lar playing cards, first edition. [John Waddington Ltd, Leeds & London, c1929]

Seigni Joan, rue de Petit Chastelet, France, 14th century (1882-1884). Artist: J Ettling
Seigni Joan, rue de Petit Chastelet, 14th century (1882-1884). A jester entertaining a crowd on a street outside a butchers shop

The Jester Farnos the Red Nose, Lubok print, 18th century. Lubok (plural Lubki) prints were Russian popular prints with simple graphics portraying stories derived from literature

Title page of an edition of Ship of Fools, by Sebastian Brant, 1494. Artist: Albrecht Durer
Title page of an edition of Ship of Fools, by Sebastian Brant, 1494. Found in the collection of the State A Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

Enchanted Hero, c1684. Artist: Jean Berain
Enchanted Hero, c1684. Alquif, enchanted knight for the rerun of the opera Amadis or Amadis de Gaule (Amadis of Gaul), by Lully in 1684. Found in the collection of the Louvre, Paris

Paris, 1870. Artist: Joseph Swain
Paris, 1870. France, armed and in full armour, mans her countrys defences. At Frances feet can be seen a number of contemporary newspapers, and a fools cap

Athletes and Animals, 1876. Artist: Montagu Blatchford
Athletes and Animals, 1876. Mr Punch, clad in a striped jersey, kicks a football in one of the earliest images of the sport in the journal. From Punch, or the London Charivari, December 2, 1876

The Popes Mad Bull, 1865. Artist: John Tenniel
The Popes Mad Bull, 1865. At the end of 1864, Pope Pius IX had issued an Encyclical Letter that itemised all the practices and beliefs of the modern world previously condemned by his holiness

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"The Jester's Hat: A Timeless Symbol of Mirth and Folly" Step into the world of jesters, where laughter reigns supreme and wit knows no bounds. This captivating accessory has transcended time, leaving its mark on various forms of art throughout history. In John Seymour Lucas' masterpiece "Though Lost to Sight to Memory Dear, 1879, " a jester's hat takes center stage, reminding us of the whimsical charm that once graced royal courts. Its vibrant colors and intricate design evoke a sense of wonderment. Traveling across continents to Nigeria, we encounter an Eshu figure from Yoruba Culture adorned with cowries, leather, and yes – a jester's hat. This cultural fusion showcases how this iconic headpiece has permeated diverse societies. Delving deeper into historical narratives, an engraving titled "A Portrayal of Titus Oates (1649-1705) as a Friend of England's Liberties Against Popery" captures the political significance attached to jesters' hats. It symbolizes their role in challenging authority and defending freedom. From raising loans aboard the Navis Stultifera (Ship of Fools) in woodcuts dating back to 1929 by Johann Bergmann von Olpe and Sebastian Brant to Philip William May's Study for Cover in 1892 – each depiction highlights the enduring allure of this timeless accessory. Even within illuminated manuscripts such as the inhabited initial D featuring a fool painted with watercolors and gold on vellum or Hans Holbein the Younger's regal Queen portrait – jesters' hats find their place among esteemed works celebrating artistic expression. Peasants Celebrating Twelfth Night by David Teniers II transports us to jovial festivities where merriment abounds under colorful jester caps. Werner Jacobsz van den Valckert further immortalizes these moments through his paintings like Fool with a Girl Looking Through Her Fingers and Laughing Fool.