Laughing Fool 1607 - 1617

Curator: Werner van den Valckert created this striking print, "Laughing Fool," sometime between 1607 and 1617. It's currently housed here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What's your immediate take on it? Editor: It’s…intense. A little unnerving, even. The exaggerated expression, that kind of manic grin—it's a really strong emotional statement for such a small-scale work. And the way he’s cradling that tiny figure, also laughing...It's unsettling! Curator: That's perceptive. The "fool" figure, and particularly that smaller figure they're holding, connect to a broader societal commentary present in genre painting of the period, especially in the context of the Dutch Golden Age where themes of morality and social critique were often cloaked in humor. Editor: So it’s more than just a funny face. What’s he pointing at? Is the baby him, like a reflection of his madness? Curator: That's a powerful question! Think of "fool" characters as sanctioned voices for dissent, jesters and clowns could reflect back the follies of the powerful. Here, van den Valckert may be commenting on inherited traits, societal madness reflected through generations or perhaps our capacity for delusion? Editor: That actually rings true, especially the idea of a sanctioned fool. Because what really struck me was the defensiveness in that manic grin, a desperate need to convince the viewer that he’s in on the joke...it hides a kind of deep vulnerability. Curator: Exactly. These prints often circulated as commentary pieces amongst an educated merchant class, serving as prompts for lively debate on morality and societal flaws. The presence of Dutch text underneath the image further emphasizes this work's role as a narrative with political dimensions. Editor: It does make me think about modern day memes, and the way humour acts as a mask or lens. This fool isn’t so different to how we communicate today with these tiny looping clips, or reactionary posts. Still hiding that same fragility behind layers of exaggeration. Curator: Precisely, and with a much sharper set of teeth! Editor: Heh, well that's something to think about…next time I scroll endlessly through my phone. Curator: Indeed! Hopefully, this print provokes some interesting insights into past, present, and perhaps even future absurdities.