Scene from "The Tomb of Master André" c. 1705 - 1708

Claude Gillot crafted this sanguine drawing, Scene from "The Tomb of Master André", using pen and brown ink to depict a farcical scene. The drawing presents the theatrical ritual surrounding a drunkard lying in state. The image is dominated by the figure of a buffoon riding a donkey, holding a tray. Such iconography of mockery can be traced back to the medieval Feast of Fools, a carnivalesque inversion of social order. The ass, often linked to ignorance, becomes a vehicle for satire, a motif mirrored in the commedia dell'arte tradition. This symbol, born from ritualistic inversion, showcases how such motifs are never truly lost. These performances serve as safety valves, allowing a community to confront its anxieties through humor. This image reminds us that these motifs resurface, adapting to new cultural landscapes but forever echoing their primal origins.