#clown history

[buffoonette]

A sprinkle of clown history: The Balatro

The Balatro (or Servilius Balatro) was an early predecessor of the modern Jester. Originating in ancient rome, these clowns would be paid to perform both privately and publically, often being the opening act for various spectacles.

Aside from making jokes and speaking sillily (even being described as "bleating like sheep"), these troublemakers were known for their versatile and adventurous nature, performing for diverse audiences and needing plenty of walking-area.

Balatrones were one of the earliest breeds of clown to develop self-decorating and facepaint, being covered with spots of mud. While Balatrones no longer exist, they played a large part in what makes the modern Jesters the mischeavous charmers that they are today.

So, the next time you forget to walk your Jester and it gets antsy, you have the Balatro to thank!

[thegreatarlecchina]

Figured you bozos might want some fun history on clowning~!

[dont-trust-my-research]

Is there a community of people who like to research clown history? If so how do I enter it?

[thehyperfixpod]

Todays Episode of The Hyperfixation: Clown History with @isawken !

—

ITS A GREAT DAY TO BE A FOOL w/@isawken! Today's episode Ken tells me about the history of the silly boys, the jesties, the history of Clowns! Do something silly today in Ken's honor🤡

Episode link here

[aimbutmiss]

I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING AT THIS SEQUENCE Zoro looks so concerned

[snailspng]

Clown illustrations by Lowell Herrero (1971) PNGs.

(source: peculiarmanicule)

[kacievvbbbb]

I just know Crocodile brought on Mihawk because he thought he would be sensible, calm and collected, low maintenance. He thought it was going to be them against the idiocy that is buggy. And it is to a degree.

What he failed to calculate is that Mihawk is just as bad as buggy.

Worse even because at least Buggy can be bullied into doing paperwork. I just know everyday Crocodile is astonished by the absolute commitment Mihawk has to his aesthetic. Walks into his tent just to find that he has somehow converted this circus ass tent into a mid century gothic castle. Somehow carpeted the whole thing end to end is burning more that a 100 candles for “mood lighting”, has a fully open fire pit and a sewing machine in the corner.

Like Crocodiles essentially a mafioso he can appreciate the wanting nice things. Still won’t prepare him for the day Mihawk’s brings him a wine budget, a tailoring budget and an embroidery budget all painstakingly itemized.

Won’t prepare him for having to replace every single wine glass because buggy drank out of one and he can’t break up a set but refuses to use a cup that buggy’s put his mouth on.

He’s starting to think that the real reason the Warlords were disbanded was because they simply could not afford to pay for Mihawk’s upkeep anymore and decided they’d rather pay in cadet lives than see one more wine budget.

He is essentially being held hostage, in his own guild, by the whims of a bored middle aged vampire, and a fucking clown.

[daddysakic]

13’s not the charm

[facts-i-just-made-up]

There was an early attempt to introduce clowns to medieval Europe, but this proved to be a feudal jester.

[bebs-art-gallery]

Le Mime Charles Deburau (1829 - 1873), en Costume de Pierrot by Jean Pezous ❦ The White Pierrot (between 1901-1902) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

[bebx]

Hearts Unmasked (1933)

— by Edward Mason Eggleston

[stillunusual]

In tankie clownland, Ukraine is totally responsible for western imperialism, colonialism and the trans-Atlantic slave trade (and this hurts tankie fee fees while they're simping for their favourite mass murderers)….

[theotherrichardpapen]

Oliver:

[tehriz]

what is the niche belief specific to your field that renders a person instantly unfuckable

for me it is being an oxfordian

[isawken]

in 1883 in the first recorded rodeo takes place in pecos, texas. in 2001 rob smets attends the PBR world finals in jeans and a sports jersey bearing sponsor logos. in 1568 the gelosi acting company coalesces in italy to perform the hot new style of live improv entertainment. in 1780 joseph grimaldi makes his stage debut at 2 years old at london’s famed drury lane. in the many, many years before any white person ever laid eyes on it, a man in what you’d now call northern arizona paints his body in black and white stripes and puts corn husks in his hair. in 1557 ivan the terrible is pallbearer to a man who walked naked in the streets of moscow. in 2017 the ringling bro’s circus announces its last show, 146 years after the titular brothers first formed it. all of these moments (and more!) have lived in my head rolling around like marbles for years now and im so happy to now have the proper method to infect your mind as well:

History of Fools is a hobby project of mine i've been working on for over a year now! part essay series, part half-assed podcast, part descent into madness, this little diddy is the culmination of years' worth of highly specific insanity. i have 4 half hour-ish essays/episodes out now reviewing the histories of:

Jesters! Commedia Dell'arte! Sacred Clowns and Holy Fools! and my personal favorite (seriously if you listen to or read any please choose this one) Rodeo Clowns!

I have more episodes planned to get into clowns proper, hoping to come out in 2024. but until then please take a read or a listen and let me know what you think!

CLICK HERE FOR FOOLS!

[tygerland]

Aubrey Beardsley Pierrot's Library. Design for the front cover of Pierrot: A Story by Henry de Vere Stacpoole (John Lane/London, 1896).