Fool's Freedom!? A Short History of Rule-Breaking

The fool is a colorful figure and has been notorious since the Middle Ages for the freedom he enjoys. The exhibition explores the question of what this freedom consists of – and what price he pays for it. The term "fool's freedom" is still commonly used today, and especially during Carnival, fools are unleashed in many places. But what lies behind the mask of the fool, and what role does he play in our cultural history? The exhibition traces the idea of the fool from the psalters of the late Middle Ages to the Carnival newspapers of modern times. The fool is a vibrant figure that cannot be imagined outside of cultural history since the Middle Ages. Whether as an artistic figure in literature and theater, as a symbolic figure of Carnival, or as a court jester at princely courts: he is a boundary walker who operates at the edges of what is permissible and breaks societal rules. His trail can be followed from the sinful God-denier of the Bible, who risks his soul for his freedom, to the clever rogue at court, who was allowed to speak what would have cost others their heads. But how does the fool find his way into Carnival? Why is he suddenly ubiquitous in the 16th century? Why does he enjoy freedoms that are denied to others? The exhibition draws from the rich collections of the Baden State Library to answer these and other questions.