Appel à contribution : « Playing Fools? The Art of the Jester in Modern Europe », Charenton/Paris, Médiathèque du Patrimoine et de la Photographie/Institut National d’Histoire de l’Art/Musée du Louvre, 18-20 novembre 2024, date limite le 1er avril 2024
The jester is a paradoxical figure: a subordinate included in elite social circles. Thus, he is an outsider, albeit a remarkably proficient one. Jesters, comprising fools, dwarfs, and other “monsters” – both men and women, often with disabilities – are itinerant, travelling from one court to another or from the precursors of psychiatric hospitals to the realms of royalty. Examining the jesters’ craft – as virtuosos and outsiders – provides an innovative perspective on European...