The Fool

Category

Library Item

Item no

23337

Title

The Fool

Description

Death dances with the fool, who holds a typical prop: the fool's bauble, an air-filled bladder. The presence of the skeletal figure and his hourglass indicates that the fool's demise is imminent. Death lifts the fool's clothes to expose him in a final act of buffoonery.

Artist / maker

Deuchar, David

Date

1803

Type

Etching

Location

Art and Design Library

This etching is one of David Deuchar's Dance of Death series. In earlier Dances of Death, some artists actually show the fool's manhood, but Deuchar censors it. Death clearly has the upper hand in this situation, but he is in a sense equalled by the fool, who is about to hit him with his bauble. Compared to the other characters normally featured in Dances of Death, there is greater parity between Death and the fool. This is because both fulfilled similar roles in the period during which the Dance originated; the fool's job, like Death, was to reveal the truth about humans and their lives. Often the fool would expose himself as a challenge to and indicator of the arbitrary social rules of propriety; so, in censoring the fool's member, Deuchar actually omitted an important feature!
This image is from an 1803 edition of Deuchar's Dance of Death. This series of etchings was first published in 1788, although the frontispiece published with subsequent editions suggests an earlier date of 1786; this is because Deuchar copied the frontispiece from another Dance of Death Christian von Mechel. The frontispiece also states that Deuchar's etchings are based on Hans Holbein the Younger's Dance of Death; however, this too is deceptive because Deuchar seems to have depended on Wenceslaus Hollar's Dance more heavily than Holbein's. The borders are also from Hollar's Dance. Deuchar consistently but incorrectly cited Holbein as his source by including the initials 'HB i' ('Holbein designed this') in his etchings. Central Library's Dance of Death Collection includes a number of copies of Deuchar's Dance.

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Related images

Related subjects

Furnishings > Ornamentation > Hourglasses

People > Adults > Women

People > Body parts > Skeletons

Religion > Religious gods and goddesses > Cherubs

Sport and leisure > Culture > Musical instruments

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