The Museum of Hoaxes
The History of April Fool's Day
An illustrated exploration of the tradition of April Foolery
Part 2: 1500-1700
4. The Fool Modernizes

The Ship of Fools. The first "bestseller." The use of folly to serve the goals of humanism. Using folly as a guise for criticism.

Fool's Cap Map of the World. Represents the world as the "great stage of fools." It was possibly made in Antwerp, circa 1580. Though who made it, or why, is unknown. Demonstrates the enormous popularity of folly. And it has a modern feel to it, conveys a more modern, secular view of folly, when compared with medieval representations.

In Praise of Folly. An etching by Hans Holbein from Erasmus's classic work of humanism, in which Folly herself speaks, and through her Erasmus was able to use folly to satirize his culture.

Pen and ink drawing by Jost Amman. Late 16th century. Shows the fool in what had by then become his classic attire.

Will Somers. The fool of Henry VIII. The sixteenth century saw the rise of court fools. Their popularity in royal courts grew exactly as the power of monarchs themselves rose. According to custom, they alone could criticize the monarch with impunity. However, this has been much exaggerated.

Unknown artist. Early 17th century.

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All text Copyright © 2014 by Alex Boese, except where otherwise indicated. All rights reserved.
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