Lord of Misrule

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The origins of the ‘Lord of Misrule’ lie in the Roman midwinter festivals of Kalends and Saturnalia when for a short while masters and slaves changed places and a mock-king ruled over a topsy-turvy world.

 For centuries the church tried to stop these festivities but they became more and more profane and outrageous, particularly in France.

The ‘Lord of Misrule’ or ‘Abbott of Unreason’ was sometimes called the ‘Man in the Moon’.

By the end of the 15th century the church was finally succeeding in stamping out the ‘Feast of Fools’ and by the 17th century the ‘Lord of Misrule’ had disappeared completely.

 Walnut, limewood, pear, copper, silver gilt & acrylics

Height 26 inches / 65 cm