The Jester Touchstone
by Terri Waters
Title
The Jester Touchstone
Artist
Terri Waters
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
A jester, or fool, was a historical person employed to entertain a ruler in medieval times and can also be a modern entertainer who performs at mostly medieval themed events. Jesters in medieval times are often thought to have worn brightly coloured clothes and eccentric hats in a motley pattern and their modern counterparts usually mimic this costume. As performers, jesters have used acrobatics, storytelling, juggling, music, and other skills to entertain their audiences.
This sculpture of Touchstone the Jester was commissioned by Anthony Bird OBE 'as a token of his esteem for the town in which he was born, lives and works and which has given him so much friendship, good fortune and pleasure' and was executed by James Butler MBE of Radway.
The statue is constructed of bronze standing on a stone plinth and stands at the top of Henley Street in Stratford Upon Avon Warwickshire looking down towards Shakespeare's birth place. Inscriptions include - O noble fool, a worthy fool - The fool doth think he is wise but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.
Touchstone is a fictional character in Shakespeare's play As You Like It. Touchstone is the court jester of duke Frederick, the usurper's court. Throughout the play he comments on the other characters and thus, contributes to a better understanding of the play.
William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, two epitaphs on a man named John Combe, one epitaph on Elias James, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.
Uploaded
February 20th, 2013
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