Silliness Collection

Baby Making A Funny Face

Medieval persecution of lepers (engraving)
7173375 Medieval persecution of lepers (engraving) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Medieval persecution of lepers)

The Kitten Pilgrims: Stork Ignorance (colour litho)
7165254 The Kitten Pilgrims: Stork Ignorance (colour litho) by Ballantyne, Robert Michael (1825-94); Private Collection; (add.info.: Stork Ignorance)

A Secret (colour litho)
6031044 A Secret (colour litho) by Gerbault, Henri (1863-1930); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Secret. Illustration from L Album, Les Maitres de la Caricature (Librairie Illustre, Paris)

A drunken gentleman tries to put a horses feet in his dressin, 1900 (chromolithograph)
7233590 A drunken gentleman tries to put a horses feet in his dressin, 1900 (chromolithograph) by Alken, Henry Thomas (1785-1851); (add.info)

The skeleton of Death pricks bubbles of life. 1827 (engraving)
7233007 The skeleton of Death pricks bubbles of life.1827 (engraving) by Dagley, Richard (c.1761-1841); Private Collection; (add.info)

The parable of the rich fool (colour litho)
7153786 The parable of the rich fool (colour litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The parable of the rich fool)

The flight of Daedalus and Icarus (woodcut)
7157539 The flight of Daedalus and Icarus (woodcut) by German School, (15th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The flight of Daedalus and Icarus)

Chickens trying to emulate an aeroplane in flight with unfortunate consequences (colour litho)
7148755 Chickens trying to emulate an aeroplane in flight with unfortunate consequences (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Il n y a pas plus sot qu un vieux sot (There is no fool like an old fool) - Peinture de Klavdi Petrovich Stepanov
FIA5346588 Il n y a pas plus sot qu un vieux sot (There is no fool like an old fool) - Peinture de Klavdi Petrovich Stepanov (1854-1910), huile sur toile, 1888, art russe

Portrait of a young Mandrill covering mouth with hand
Portrait of a captive, five-month-old Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) against a black background in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. IUCN status is Vulnerable; Malabo, Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

Portrait of bighorn sheep family standing on rocks, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Portrait of three young bighorn sheep standing on a cliff looking down at the camera; Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States of America

I: Idiot
6523677 I: Idiot by Unknown Artist, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: in " Franco-English Leporello (Zebra - Zebra). Publisher unknown, s. d. (circa 1840)

The crimes of ignorance, the people of Molfetta destroy a cart of disinfectants intended for... (colour litho)
2815377 The crimes of ignorance, the people of Molfetta destroy a cart of disinfectants intended for... (colour litho) by Beltrame

Lunatic Asylum humour - Upside down wheelbarrow
Visitor to Dottieville Lunatic Asylum which is undergoing structural improvements (to harmless lunatic who is extremely busy wheeling a barrow upside down)

Pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) leaps out of the Pacific ocean; Hawaii, United States of America

Three Chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) slide down snowy hill; Antarctica

A life model stereoview from 1900 of a bride and groom having their photograph taken. A humorous slide entitled Just one Darling, while his head is covered up

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) upside down playing in the snow; Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Close-up of a Black Bear (Ursus americanus) with its tongue sticking out, Great Bear Rainforest; Hartley Bay, British Columbia, Canada

Valentin Louis Georges EugAšne Marcel Proust, 1871 - 1922, also known as Marcel Proust. French novelist, critic, and essayist. After a contemporary print

Horsefield's tarsier portrait
Portrait of a Horsfield's tarsier (Cephalopachus bancanus borneanus) against a black background at Taman Safari. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN; Bogor, West Java, Indonesia

Southern Elephant Seal pups play fighting, Antarctica
Portrait of two southern elephant seal pups (Mirounga leonina) with comical expressions play fighting; South Georgia Island, Antarctica

Portrait of a black labrador retriever on a black background
Portrait of a black labrador retriever sticking out its tongue on a black background

Great horned owl, owlet with its wings raised in the air, YNP, USA
Close-up portrait of a great horned owl, owlet (Bubo virginianus) looking at the camera from behind a tree log with its wings raised up together in the air; Yellowstone National Park

Monochrome Adelie penguin jumping between ice floes, Antarctica
Three Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) watch another jumping between two ice floes. They have black heads and backs with white bellies. Shot with a Nikon D810 on Brown Bluff; Antarctica

Composite image of flamingoes in a forest with a ladder and lamp post
A surreal composite image of flamingoes in a forest with a ladder and lamp post

A Woman Jumps Into The Water Off A Surf Board While Holding Her Paddle In Front Of Dos Mares Beach; Tarifa, Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain

Black Bear Cub (Ursus Americanus) With Its Tongue Out, Captive In Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, South-Central Alaska; Portage, Alaska, United States Of America

Elephant Seal (Mirounga Leonina) Laughing, Neko Harbour; Antarctica

Two Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus) In A Humorous Looking Moment With Their Mouths Open As If Smelling Each Others Breath; Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Two Polar Bears Play Fighting To Sharpen Their Hunting Skills As They Wait For The Ice To Freeze Over At Hudson Bay; Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Brave silliness crowned by Themis, Claes Moeyaert, Anonymous, Joannes Bouman, 1612-1655

Comic caricature in a lunatic asylum by Phil May
Dottieville Lunatic Asylum Visitor to the Asylum - " Is that Clock Right?" The Dotty One - " O course it ain, or it wouldn t be here." Date: 1900

Humorous card from Hellingly, depicting a man getting some Fresh air ! Amusingly, Hellingly was the site of a famous lunatic asylum between 1903 and 1994...! circa 1905

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"Silliness: A Timeless Escape from Reality" In a world plagued by medieval persecution of lepers and stork ignorance, silliness emerges as a beacon of joy. From the mischievous Kitten Pilgrims to the enigmatic secrets hidden within colorful lithographs, silliness invites us to embrace laughter amidst chaos. Take, for instance, the scene of a drunken gentleman attempting to dress his feet in horse shoes. This 1900 chromolithograph captures the absurdity that can unfold when folly takes hold. Similarly, an engraving from 1827 portrays Death pricking bubbles of life with its skeletal fingers – a reminder that even in darkness, silliness punctures through with lightheartedness. Throughout history, artists have depicted foolishness as both cautionary tales and sources of amusement. The parable of the rich fool comes alive in vibrant lithography while Daedalus and Icarus' flight reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously. Chickens emulating airplanes may suffer unfortunate consequences but their daring spirit embodies the essence of silliness. Even renowned Russian artist Klavdi Petrovich Stepanov recognized the allure of foolishness in his painting "There is no fool like an old fool. " With brushstrokes capturing whimsy on canvas, he immortalized this timeless truth. Yet silliness extends beyond human antics; it transcends species boundaries. A young Mandrill covering its mouth with a hand or a bighorn sheep family standing proudly on rocks showcase nature's own playful side. And let us not forget about objects infused with mirth. An Oriental carpet from c. 1920 becomes more than just woven threads; it transforms into an invitation for imagination and levity. In our complex world filled with trials and tribulations, embracing moments offers respite from reality's weighty burdens.