Jesters: A Fool and His Clothing

The Linkspages at Larsdatter.com

Fools and Jesters in Literature, Art, and History: A Bio-Bibliographical Sourcebook Fools and Jesters at the English Court ''Actors, Minstrels, and Fools'' - Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince Fools Are Everywhere: The Court Jester Around the World The Little Jester

So, what did jesters wear in the Middle Ages and Renaissance? This set of links concentrates on pictures of those who were professionally employed as jesters or entertainers. In some cases, these individuals have had physical handicaps or mental problems. (Those who are referred to as "fools" but were not employed as such are not listed here.)

For more information on this subject, see The Jester's Mask; Fooling around the World: The History of the Jester; or these links.

Some interesting things to note: the evolution of the hood (from a simple hood with asses' ears to a multi-tailed “jester's hat”); the use of color, particolor, and dagging; and the occasional appearance of the bauble, or “jester's scepter.”