Peeling back history;  looking for proof of one’s remembrance, especially for bad boys, has brought some dead artists together with some very young pre-dead artists:  searching digitally for evidence that the oldsters still matter.

Amidst the searching of catalogues the above image was discovered, titled “Yorick the Dane” by an obscure Italian artist c.???? Yorick was shown the work (unfortunately in the presence of a pair of 20th century anarchistic feminists) and recalled his halcyon days with the famous Prince of Denmark doing puppet shows in Italy.

Pointing out that manipulation and ass-grabbling was a popular form of entertainment at the time, was probably inappropriate given the audience present.  Some additional morally-focused questioning types wanted to know if the puppet was meant to imply the Princes’s mother, the Queen of Denmark; given her future dramatic characterization.  It is difficult to note blushing on a skeleton, or interpret eye-contact and other bodily clues, but he did mumble that the Queen was “an honorable”…something.

Being forgotten can be very trying for emotive types.  Most only found obscure mention with little “c’s” by their dates, “c.” meaning “circa” meaning “about (but not quite)”. Others noted their names in vintage auction records with small black and white reproductions; a small number, a very small number, found lush reproductions in learned books.

Searching for our own memorialization untainted by whatever has transpired and whatever someone else might think, is folly.  Artistics, even real artists, can never know what will remain and who may love or ignore it.  ‘Tis fruitless to wish to know your own notoriety.

Alas, the sins and folly of youth; poor Yorick. ‘Tis likely this Lady has a four-century old grievance.

The folly of now and then, join us next Saturday…