Prankster 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

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

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

Tyll Eulenspiegel, 15th century German chapbook hero, 1889 (chromolithograph)
5912635 Tyll Eulenspiegel, 15th century German chapbook hero, 1889 (chromolithograph); (add.info.: Tyll Eulenspiegel, 15th century German chapbook hero and scatological prankster)

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

Un jeune homme pour qui rien n'est sacre, 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
Un jeune homme pour qui rien n'est sacre, 19th century. Teachers and students - A young man for whom nothing is sacred

A fool with parrot, 1875. Found in the Collection of State A. Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

Open Your Mouth and Shut Your Eyes (Harpers Weekly), May 16, 1874. Creator: Unknown
Open Your Mouth and Shut Your Eyes (Harpers Weekly), May 16, 1874

Portrait of Carlo Antonio Bertinazzi (1710-1783), 1740s. Found in the Collection of the Petit Palais, Musee des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris

A woodcut of a scene from the story of Till Eulenspiegel. (engraving)
3647892 A woodcut of a scene from the story of Till Eulenspiegel. (engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Till Eulenspiegel depicted with owl and mirror (engraving)
3647886 Till Eulenspiegel depicted with owl and mirror (engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Till Eulenspiegel depicted with owl and mirror)

German womens costumes of the late 15th century. In dress adorned with gold on the collar and sleeves. From a painting in the collection of Katharina Sattler, Mainburg Castle

Masked Ball
FIA5405500 Masked Ball by Hermans, Charles (1839-1924); 321x401 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Masked Ball by Hermans, Charles (1839-1924)

The Pranksters, 1866 (oil on canvas)
827493 The Pranksters, 1866 (oil on canvas) by Loose, Basile de (1809-85); 80.6x68.6 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Pranksters. Basile de Loose (1809-1885). Oil on canvas

The title page of the oldest known Low German edition of Till Eulenspiegel, printed by Servais Kruffter (engraving)
3647888 The title page of the oldest known Low German edition of Till Eulenspiegel, printed by Servais Kruffter (engraving) by German School

Une Vielle Farce (An Old Joke). Cover of Le Figaro Illustre, October 1896 (colour litho)
3098779 Une Vielle Farce (An Old Joke). Cover of Le Figaro Illustre, October 1896 (colour litho) by Chocarne-Moreau, Paul Charles (1855-1931); Private Collection; (add.info)

Till Eulenspiegel (engraving)
5208041 Till Eulenspiegel (engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Till Eulenspiegel. After an illustration on a gravestone in Kolln)

A woodcut of a scene from the story of Till Eulenspiegel (engraving)
3647891 A woodcut of a scene from the story of Till Eulenspiegel (engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Heads, 1833-39 (coloured engraving)
999555 Heads, 1833-39 (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Dictionnaire pittoresque d histoire naturelle et des phenomAnes de la natureA, 1833-39)

The Class Pranksters, (oil on canvas)
827063 The Class Pranksters, (oil on canvas) by Trupheme, Auguste Joseph (1836-98); 90.2x130.2 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Class Pranksters. Auguste Joseph Trupheme (1836-1898)

Portrait of Jean-Gaspard Deburau (1796-1846), 1832. Creator: Trouvé
Portrait of Jean-Gaspard Deburau (1796-1846), 1832. Found in the collection of Musee Carnavalet, Paris

Dancing Mezzetin, ca 1720. Creator: Anonymous
Dancing Mezzetin, ca 1720. Found in the collection of Musee Carnavalet, Paris

The mummers, 1873. Creator: Solomatkin, Leonid Ivanovich (1837-1883)
The mummers, 1873. Found in the Collection of State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

The tantalising pigtail, (1907). Creator: Unknown
The tantalising pigtail, (1907). The 17-year-old Haydn cuts off a fellow choristers pigtail at the cathedral choir school in Vienna

Mummers, 1908. Creator: Sapunov, Nikolai Nikolayevich (1880-1912)
Mummers, 1908. Found in the Collection of State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Carnival Procession, c. 1660. Creator: Venne, Adriaen Pietersz. van de (1589-1662)
Carnival Procession, c. 1660. Found in the Collection of Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava

Fools Head, c. 1560. Private Collection

Masked Ball. Private Collection

Illustration for War of Petrushka and Stepka-Rastrepka by Evgeni Schwartz, 1925. Private Collection

The Mocking of Human Follies. Artist: Verbeeck, Frans (c. 1510-1570)
The Mocking of Human Follies. Private Collection

Natural Fools (The Triumphal Procession of the Emperor Maximilian I), ca 1515. Private Collection

Leaving the Masqued Ball. Artist: Madrazo y Garreta, Raimundo de (1841-1920)
Leaving the Masqued Ball. Found in the collection of Museo Carmen Thyssen, Malaga

Musicians and acrobats (detail). Artist: Ancient Russian frescos
Musicians and acrobats (detail). Found in the collection of Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kiev

Arriving at the Theatre on a Night of a Masked Ball. Artist: Lucas Villaamil, Eugenio (1858-1919)
Arriving at the Theatre on a Night of a Masked Ball. Found in the collection of Museo Carmen Thyssen, Malaga

Jesters playing Cochonnet, 1868. Artist: Zamacois y Zabala, Eduardo (1841-1871)
Jesters playing Cochonnet, 1868. Found in the collection of the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao

In skomorokh dress, 1882. Artist: Vasnetsov, Viktor Mikhaylovich (1848-1926)
In skomorokh dress, 1882. Found in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Harlequin and Death, 1918. Artist: Somov, Konstantin Andreyevich (1869-1939)
Harlequin and Death, 1918. From a private collection

Harlequins, 1913. Artist: Somov, Konstantin Andreyevich (1869-1939)
Harlequins, 1913. Found in the collection of the Regional Art Museum, Gorlovka

Rendezvous, c. 1918. Artist: Somov, Konstantin Andreyevich (1869-1939)
Rendezvous, c. 1918. From a private collection

Masquerade, 1913-1914. Artist: Grigoriev, Boris Dmitryevich (1886-1939)
Masquerade, 1913-1914. Found in the collection of the Regional Art Museum, Kherson

Jean-Gaspard Deburau as Pierrot, 1845. Artist: Bouquet, Auguste (1810-1846)
Jean-Gaspard Deburau as Pierrot, 1845. From a private collection

Carnival in Rome (Detail), c. 1650. Artist: Lingelbach, Johannes (1622-1674)
Carnival in Rome (Detail), c. 1650. Found in the collection of the Art History Museum, Vienne

Pierrot Content, ca 1712. Artist: Watteau, Jean Antoine (1684-1721)
Pierrot Content, ca 1712. Found in the collection of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collections

The skomorokhs. Costume design for the opera Prince Igor by A. Borodin, 1914. Artist: Roerich, Nicholas (1874-1947)
The skomorokhs. Costume design for the opera Prince Igor by A. Borodin, 1914. Found in the collection of the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg

The Widows House (Second Trick), 1865. Artist: Wilhelm Busch
The Widows House (Second Trick), 1865. From Max and Moritz (A Story of Seven Boyish Pranks) by Wilhelm Busch

King And Jester, Early 15Th Century. From The Book Short History Of The English People By J. R
King And Jester, Early 15Th Century. From The Book Short History Of The English People By J.R. Green, Published London 1893

Dentistry caricature, 19th century
Dentistry caricature. 19th-century artwork titled Hob and Stage Doctor, showing an itinerant tooth drawer pulling a patients tooth with a tooth key at a country fair or market

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"Unleashing Mischief: From Harlequin to Till Eulenspiegel, the Prankster's Legacy" Step into a world of laughter and deception as we explore the mischievous realm of pranksters throughout history. 🃏✨ In 1907, Konstantin Andreyevich Somov painted "Harlequin and Death, " capturing the whimsical yet dark essence of this iconic trickster character. Just like Max and Moritz, who wreaked havoc in their misadventures, these jesters remind us that mischief knows no boundaries. Delve deeper into the artistry with "Open Your Mouth and Shut Your Eyes (Harpers Weekly), " an intriguing piece from 1874 whose creator remains unknown. This enigmatic artwork invites us to ponder the secrets behind every playful act. Transporting us back to the 18th century is Carlo Antonio Bertinazzi's portrait—a renowned Italian actor known for his comedic performances. His expressive face hints at countless pranks played on unsuspecting audiences during his time. Till Eulenspiegel emerges from woodcuts and engravings as a legendary figure embodying both wit and folly. With an owl perched on his shoulder or holding up a mirror, he symbolizes our inclination to reflect upon our own foolishness. German women's costumes from the late 15th century add another layer of intrigue to this tale of trickery. These elaborate garments were not only fashion statements but also disguises used by pranksters during masked balls—where identities blurred amidst laughter-filled chaos. "The Pranksters, " depicted in oil on canvas in 1866, captures a moment frozen in time—an ensemble cast engaged in uproarious amusement while plotting their next practical joke. Their camaraderie reminds us that pranks are often best enjoyed when shared with kindred spirits.