Figures do fou. Do moyen age aux romantiques/Figures of the Fool. From the Middle Ages to the Romantics

Figures du Fou explores how madness – and especially the image of the fool – was represented in medieval art and culture. While the fool has often been studied in social and cultural history, this exhibition takes a fresh look through the lens of art history.

From the 13th to the mid-16th century, the idea of madness inspired many artists and writers, and the fool became a powerful and often subversive figure. Although medieval art is often seen as strictly religious, Figures du Fou reveals a more playful and provocative side of the Middle Ages.

The exhibition brings together over 300 works of art, including sculptures, ivory carvings, medals, illuminated manuscripts, prints, paintings, and tapestries, organized by period and theme. The majority of these works are reproduced in this catalog