im polish, the reason stanczyk is an autoportret of matejko, is because in matejko's times, as in stanczyk's, the people in charge were reckless and didnt care for polish community, at that time, poland wasnt independent and the rich cared only for themselves, not for their nation
“A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater." - Soren Kierkegaard
I read this comment and scrolled on. Then I realized I couldn’t get it out of my head and I appreciated the layers of the quote. I came back to this video only to give this comment a thumbs-up. Well done
Funny enough, it's not even wrinkled in the way you'd expect. If he was pushing back with his feet, or letting the weight of of his body push the chair back, the wrinkle should be behind the feet of the chair. But it's in between the chair and his legs, suggesting he's drawing his legs in. It almost seems like at one time he was preparing to stand up, but couldn't figure out how to break the news, and was left in his chair powerless and melancholy.
This is probably a reach, but I have a different interpretation, thanks for pointing it out. The way I see it Stanczyk just leaned back in the chair to take a load off after all the entertainment he was providing to the guests, but then he started thinking. Something along the lines of 'I should probably get back to the party, it is my job. But shouldn't they also be doing their jobs? This much partying and this is the result? Is this how you do as a king? Am I just failing at my job?' and as he's thinking he's slowly pulling his entire body inwards from the load of insecurity.
The historical context made it more relatable to me. The country is going into total catastrophe and the ruling class is decadent. The one person who cares is not in any position to fix it. I think such a "we're all doomed thanks to the rulers" perspective is very relatable to everyone, not just Poland.
100% agree, was pretty shocked he almost disregarded it just for "look the jester is sad" He should have done more historical research, because the nobles, celebrating in the background, and their carelessness for the affairs of the state, literally proved to be the downfall of Poland at the end of the 18th century (around 270 years after the event of this painting takes place), the painting is literally foreshadowing the decline and eventual destruction of Poland the real paradox here is that the Jester, the one who is meant to make people laugh, is the most concerned about his countries future, and not the people with the highest say, the nobles
There's a hopelessness in this painting that makes my heart hurt. To my understanding, jesters often had the job of breaking bad news to their lord. The partiers dance, oblivious to what has happened, and he has to go in there and shatter that illusion. He has to go in there and say what no-one wants to hear, at the time they least want to hear it.
Knowing the background history of the painting makes me realize that the painter intended this painting for a very specific audience that I’m not a part of.
I think while yes, it is made for a time long back, there is still the reliability that comes from his utter loneliness even with the context. Just because this guy didn't explicitly state the tragedy isn't an amalgamation of the political AND personal struggles of the clown dosen't mean that it wasn't meant to be that. A quite literal death of the author, which is a philosophy I personally don't agree with but.. the author, or painter for this, is literally dead
it's the look on his face that gets me. i know that look, complete emptiness, hollow, disheveled, feeling like everything is crumbling around him, like he just *isnt there* , and his posture shows he's metaphorically and physically slumping and sinking deeper and deeper into this emptiness. and the fact that it's somebody who makes other laugh makes it so its something a lot of people can relate to.
It's not mentioned in the video, but according to legend, Smolenk was his home. This is him reacting to the news that everyone he's ever known and loved is dead.
I can tell you one thing polish people really appreciate is when someone takes the time to actually learn how to properly pronounce polish words. good job.
I did notice he must've checked and replicated Polish pronounciations. To me it never really mattered that Americans pronounce Polish words, names in an americanized way, it's natural to... well, naturalize... pronounciation of what you're reading to your native language and I was just used to it. But in recent years you can get labelled a racist when you put just the accent in "Kamala" or "Kabul" or whatever like you would in an English name, and it suddenly occured to me that I'm still hearing Kowalski pronounced as "Kaualski" like I've been hearing it for decades and that isn't a problem to anybody. Noticed same double standard for Italian names too.
"A story is told that in 1806 a man goes to visit a doctor who is acclaimed for his ability to treat melancholia. “I can’t eat, I can’t sleep,” says the man. “I feel constantly miserable. Please help me, doctor.” “Laughter is the best medicine, my friend,” says the doctor. “Take yourself off to Covent Garden Theatre* where you will find The Great Grimaldi performing in Harlequin and Mother Goose; or the Golden Egg. It is exquisitely funny and will cure you of all your ills without any pills or potions from my cabinet.” The man looks at the doctor for a moment. “Ah,” he says. “That won’t help.” “Why not, sir?” The man shrugs. “I am Grimaldi.”
Another writer commented that _’His performances elevated his role by "acute observation upon the foibles and absurdities of society... He is the finest practical satyrist that ever existed.'_ I didn't realize that he also felt trapped in his father's figure Oddly, Wikipedia has a great page on him, including other artworks with Grimaldi as the subject.
Yeah, that story is quite popular all over the world. As somebody in a previous response said, Rorschach said the Pagliacci version in Watchmen. BoJack Horseman did its own version with the concept of Mr. Peanutbutter being a very popular meme, Sad Dog, whilst fighting depression himself. And also, here in Mexico we have a very famous poem (and my favourite, I might add) called "Reír Llorando", which would translate to "Laugh Crying", which centers in a famous comedian called Garrick, whom everybody loves and laughs at his every joke. One day a physician receives a new patient and after talking about the sadness overwhelming him, the physician recommends multiple ideas, all of which the unknown patient has previously done or does on a regular basis. Then, as you may know by now, the physicians urges him to go see Garrick as he is the patient's last option for some happiness, to which he says "Así, no me curo. ¡Yo soy Garrick, cambiadme la receta!" ("I can't heal that way. I am Garrick, change the prescription!")
I was wondering if the narrator was going to mention that acecdote in the video, and when he didn't, I was intending to relate it in the comments, but decided to first look through the comments to see if anyone else had done so. I had never heard of the phrase "sad clown paradox" before I saw the video title, but as soon as I saw the title, I immediately thought of that anecdote, even before I started watching the video.
For me, Stanczyk is one of the darkest paintings ever produced as it brings home the dark reality of life. Many pieces of art such as Goya's, while easily considered dark, are surreal and things we cannot comprehend, but something we all face over life is the feeling of crippling loneliness which is captured to perfection by Matejko in said piece. Man's own mind is the most terrifying thing there is, at least as far as I'm concerned.
im polish, i know our history and this painting, for me it is so powerful because stanczyk there understands the tragedy that is happening back then and there - for us modern polish, we can relate because we already know about those events that are in the distant past but when i look at this painting im recaptured in a moment of realization that one event will begin the end, even though i know it is done, im brought back to this memory i did not have and yet can relate to, like stanczyk i feel i cannot do anything about it - i think that is kind of universal feeling we can share when looking at this painting, i would say the worst feeling is not when you challenge the dark times but the moment when you realize it is upon you and out of your control, feeling helplessness
@@shambexPL Thanks for your reply! That's a really interesting take and you make some great points. That feeling of impending doom and having no control over it, knowing it's coming and feeling dread, so relatable to us all, on a different scale perhaps but nonetheless. You've made me see the piece in a different light with your comment. I suffer from severe OCD so like Stańczyk in this piece, I often remove myself from the good times and party because I am stuck in my thoughts, dreading an imaginary situation or something of the sort. Thanks for your comment man, it's really interesting to hear another take.
In my understanding this painting has two main themes: one historical, which shows how low has Poland fell (if the jester is the only one remaining who cares about the realm) and the second one, purely emotional, which shows a man who just realized that there's nothing more he can do to protect something he loves, there's only downfall ahead despite the fact that what he loves could be easily saved but not by himself alone.
Poland was getting to the peak of her greatness actually, while Stanczyk was alive. The sadness that you see in jester, is a premonition of things to come. Matejko was painting this, while Poland was no more and there was a little hope of independence returning.
@@petegrusky2715Poland is not doing fine, the government is filled with the fascist party and they shut down a journalist company who spoke out against them
@@3rayallenmodern Poland is literally one of the best versions of the Polish state to exist, sure it’s a lot smaller then the days of the commonwealth, and it’s population is declining, but it’s growing economically, militarily, and is growing in popularity every year
Which is itself, a fascinating concept. This isn't "bad news" as in someone's horse ran away, or something minor. They've just passed a major threshold, and the doom of their country has been sealed. Poland would, after this, go from one of the most powerful countries in Europe to being divvied into partitions by foreign powers in only 200 years. Yet, once he learns this devastating news, Stańczyk's primary concern appears to be not to ruin the mood of a party - the party itself as symptom of the poor leadership that has led them to this loss. Perhaps Stańczyk, as wise as he was, was not as detached from social conventions as some might think? Or perhaps he's well aware, and it's merely his self-preservation making that his concern... but even then, there's a lot of thought to be put into leaders that would rather be happy and ignorant, which is a major factory to their country's losses, than be faced with said losses they caused.
It's even worse. The people in the back aren't mindlessly throwing a party- they are celebrating a minor battle victory against Russians, but don't give a fuck about losing one of the bigger cities, one that won't be taken back. Only Stańczyk knows and understands consequenses of losing Smoleńsk
I think that understanding of Matejko's envoy isn't possible without deeper knowledge of Polish history. Jan Matejko worked in the times in which there was no Polish state. In my opinion loss of Smolensk wasn't for Matejko just loss of one of fortresses at the eastern border but a beginning of a series of events which led to fall of state which used to be one of the greatest in the continent (A Polish Nobleman, Rembrandt; Stephen Bathory at Pskov, Matejko), which led to partitions of Poland, replacement of Nobles' Democracy with absolute monarchies, whole generations sentenced to work in Siberia (Christmas Eve in Siberia, Jacek Malczewski; Farewell to Europe, Aleksander Sochaczewski). I'm sure that people who saw 'Stanczyk' in XIX century were aware of it and could fully understand how huge is Stanczyk's sorrow. In this context 'Stanczyk' seems to be not only expression of grief but also a warning for future generations to care for the state more than Queen Bona.
This is so true I disagree with what the guy said about how the context doesn't add emotion, but rather it's the context that makes it all the more melancholy. stanczyk can forsee the eventual end of his homeland, and matejko at the time of painting had no way of knowing I it would ever exist again.
This. As a Pole, this is exactly what makes this painting so powerful. In a way, it reminds me of the story of Cassandra, except with an added layer of tragic irony. Here, the only person who realizes the gravity of the situation is the fool, who is supposed to entertain people... And the only people who are capable of stopping the tragedy, are too busy fooling around to realize the repercussions that this is going to bring about.
A fun(?) fact: the Wawel castle in the background is a really important piece of Polish culture, there are coffins of kings and poets such as Mickiewicz in its basement. I love that detail, because, knowing the historical context, Matejko showed us: not only the letter is about a 'fall of the empire', not only the commet, also the basement of Wawel awaiting for anoher fallen king
3:50 Functionally, the specific cause of Stanczyk's sadness is unknown to the modern viewer. Most people today will not know the historical references on sight. But, the relationship between the central figure and the other figures (the comet, the revelers) remains relevant beyond the original context. The numbers are larger, technology has advanced, and the faces and settings have changed, but I promise you there are Stanczyks and mindless revelers here today.
I think the piece you’re missing to this puzzle is that in a lot of cases, it was the jesters job to bring bad news to the king. And if they didn’t put it the right way, it would be their head on the floor
That wasn't polish tradition. It was just people at party didn't realize long-term implications for Poland caused by losing Smoleńsk, while Stańczyk saw beginning of an end for Poland. Russia/Muscovy during that time was not yet that dangerous for Poland but it grows and became one of countries that end Polish state.
@@ShavoSoaDer It causes a interesting dynamic here. The jester, the entertainer is the only one actually aware of the current situation and its implications. While the people at the party, which should be the one smart enough to worry aren't.
Jesters don't get killed. Jesters were often nobles and you don't kill nobles. They just lose favour if they deliver the news badly and maybe get fired.
@@liamjm9278 Which would cost them loads of social prestige and be equivalent to death. They didn't guillotine them like SharkBoi suggested, but they would still pay very, very dearly.
"I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it's like to feel absolutely worthless and they don't want anyone else to feel like that" - Robin Williams
@@Turnpost2552 Welcome! Please don't mind the dry air and extremely bright ball of light in the sky. That's normal for us who have not been living under a rock up to this point, but I'm sure you'll get used to it, too. When you're settled in, you might want to look up the gentleman who made that quote above. It seems you missed out on his work.
@@ez609 DID you forget who robin Willams was ?? he was wholesome always happy smiling and making people laugh yet he was really depressed , the painting correlates perfectly that's why it said the study of sad clown paradox for actors comedians and artists
I think there’s another piece of literary/historical context which is important here. Historically the clown or fool has played an important social role and, in many societies throughout history, has been considered a high-status individual as a result. That role has been to hold a mirror up to society through humour - as many standup comics seek to do today - and in many societies the clown has often been one of the few people who can speak truth to power. The fool in Shakespeare’s Lear is a great example. Understanding that, in conjunction with the historical context here, gives a sense of a jester who feels isolated by the gravity of the political situation and the weight of his role within it. The political elite don’t understand or care about the situation - they are partying away. The clown is caught between an elite who care not a jot, and the wider world which is dependent on the decisions of their leaders to protect them. The clown has the job of influencing the behaviour and policy of the ruling class, and the outside world depends on him succeeding. The clowns sadness therefore lies in the age old tension between the lack of seriousness of Politicians and the impact that their decisions have on their citizens/subjects. Incidentally, this has real resonance in the UK right now - partygate anyone? For me, this context - combined with the specific context outlined in this video - adds hugely to the painting. It speaks to the weight and loneliness that must be felt by anyone who has the role of holding the powerful to account.
Well said. Here in the states, clowns are no longer revered or even seen as funny. We're either seen as the horror movie killer clowns or an abhorrently hopeless fool. This is my current sadness. The rest applies quite well with the circus side show our government became after Obama left office.
This is the first and only painting that I have ever connected with. Not only that, but I connect with it on both a historical and personal level and I keep coming back to it over the years. I can feel his dispair, his emptiness, his dissapointment, his worry, his hopelessness. I can understand all of it and I can feel it with him. This painting will always hold a special place in my heart.
as a polish person, I was more thrilled about you saying the titles of the paintings and saying Jan Matejko really good than on the painting itself. it's not really often that someone gets it right.
I believe that the historical context adds to the painting in a way, due to the fact that the clown realizes there is nothing he can say or do to save Poland due to his status as a performer, even though he has much more wisdom than the monarchs. In a way he is bound by status and he is unable to say what his nation so desperately needs, and if he did he would likely not see the end of it.
I have completely the same impression of this picture. Being wise to see and feel the whole picture, but being in position which makes it unable to change it...
That's the fate of the trickster archetype. He is wise, yet foolish, and can see the absurdity of this thing called life with crystal clear precision. Unfortunately, the words of the jester are often disregarded, and his status as fool is both a blessing and a curse.
Great analysis. The painting holds on its own but the background adds another interpretation as you said. That besides his status as the favourite jester among other common people he's still powerless. This being painted in xix also serves as a reminder of the errors of their previous nobles and the battles Poland had to went through
The wonderful thing about paintings is their interpretation. Stańczyk is a jester that appears in a book called "Wesele" (Stanisław Wyspiański) as a ghost. The book depicts different types of thinking patterns polish people went for at the time and how these patterns and sins will lead to the fall of Poland. Stańczyk, as one of the wisest people in Poland, points out the wrongs in the person he talks to (The Journalist) and people on this wedding reception, telling them that if they continue everything will go wrong. Everyone ignores him. So you could also interpret the painting as Stańczyk sitting in a state of melancholy, knowing that people behind him are blind and ignorant, knowing that he can't do anything to save his motherland.
It makes sense to me that the jesters job was to deliver news to the person in command in a funny way. So, the painting itself is very powerful and the video provided a lot of context that I wouldn’t have figured out on my own. The tower didn’t catch my eye until you pointed it out.
You're right. He might not be sad...he might just be puzzled; and, simply doesn't know how to deliver the messege in a funny way, because there's nothing funny about it. He might be lost in thought, and not really avoiding the party due to sadness. He might be sitting alone, away from the noise and commotion of the party in order to simply THINK of a way of delivering the bad news in a comical way. Well...I might be a few hundred years too late...but, I can help good ol' Stan out by writing a joke for him: STANCZYK: "Hey! Did everyone hear about Smolensk? It fell harder than my Grandma falling down the stairs!" [crickets chirping] ..................yeah...ummm.....no need to get up, everyone. I'll just let myself out.
the contrast between the jester and the royalty to me stand out quite a bit. its another paradox in a sense how they are partying when so much is at stake, while the jester (often perceived as on the other side of the spectrum from nobility), has the full realization and is taking on the emotional burdens that come with the news. its almost a ying yang style juxtaposition
I love the sad clown paradox because it emphasizes the significance of showing kindness and empathy towards others, regardless of their outward appearance. It serves as a reminder that we cannot truly understand what someone else might be experiencing, and that it's crucial to treat others with compassion and empathy. By doing so, we can create a more nurturing and supportive environment where people are comfortable expressing their real emotions, which Stanczyk was unfortunately not able to.
Matejko was a great artist and we should appreciate his amazing work of art. He is one of the GREATEST polish painters of all the time. I love his works because they have meaning and you can stare at them for hours and still, you wouldnt be able to see all of those great details that he has painted in them…
A historical figure, well known to be, in fact, the King Sigismund top adviser. Framing anything as a joke, he could actually tell the King anything, at any time. The painting by Matejko (Mah-tey-co) elevated Stańczyk to the entirely new hights. In modern Polish culture, "Stańczyk" became synonymous with a sage ahead of his time, a thinker, almost a prophet, an epitomy of wisdom, harsh realism, and foresight.
For me, knowing the context of the painting does not make it more or less appealing, but it certainly adds another layer of meaning to it. Matejko was painting this when Poland didn't exist (it was divided in three parts ruled by Russia, Prussia and Austria) and he really felt like Stańczyk might have felt knowing what is going to happen, but not being able to prevent it. As you said, Stańczyk's garment and the room in the background are both red as if they should be connected, but they're not. For me, the gap between them is a symbol of another disparity - the king and royal court have power, Stańczyk does not. This, I think, is the cause of his despair, and the cause of Matejko's despair, who also - as someone looking at the event from a time perspective - knew what is going to happen. And yet, the ones who have knowledge also happen to be the ones who have no power. And this, I think, is the real paradox of this painting.
This is a really thought-provoking comment. Perhaps this painting is doubly resonant because it's not just a painting of a man who knows what might happen, it is a painting of a man who in fact does know what happens -- not just the historical Stańczyk reading the news, this painting is also a self portrait of the painter reading the history of his country, knowing what will happen but as you said, powerless to stop it. The legendary figure of Stańczyk vindicated by the figure of the (at that time) contemporary Pole.
this is also what i thought. knowing the context of the painting helped me figure out the kind of despair thats being shown in stanczyk’s face, the despair of knowing your nation is falling apart without any power to stop it
Its a feeling i think many of us have had before. That the people who could truly make everything better are simply not the ones pulling the strings. I dont know about you, but i sometimes think about what i would do if i was in power. All the things i would fix. Wheter or not i could actually fix things is a whole other thing entirely lol.
I always saw this painting in passing and thought it was cool, but now that I know what it's depicting I love it. The Jester is sad because he knows his country will soon be occupied by foriegn invaders. He is seen by his people as a jovial entertainer, and enjoys this role. However he is also not a fool, and is well educated in worldy matters, and the modern geopolitical situation, likley history too. He shows dissapointment in the party behind him as they are seemingly oblivious to things which are common sense to the Jester. The only man who knows the full extent of the situation is dressed like a clown.
Not really. He is not "the only one". He is "one amongst the few" who know about the news wich may bring the downfall of Poland. But he cares and that is what we see here. I imagine it is connected to the myth in which the jester had to bring bad news to the Emperor. Or a King in this situation. And the jester in this painting knows, that the news HE is about to bring may also bring his death.
I think a major part of the Sad Clown Paradox is not just that someone is working so hard to make others happy or joyful and yet unable to do so for themselves but that we also imagine these people as bright and cheerful and happy. When Robbin Williams died there was this added layer of sadness, not only was he someone who had brought joy to our lives and for such a long time but we could not even see he was sad. He was often seen as happy and cheerful and carrying one of the largest and brightest smiles. To find that someone who we had always seen as happy was so depressed was shocking, it contradicts expectations: people who make us laugh and seem happy ARE happy and people who are sad are CLEARLY sad and unhappy. We were blind and surprised which only added to the devastation. Our realization of our own ignorance only seems to add to the sadness we feel. It's sad but expected when the melancholy person is sad but it is shocking when the bright lively person is down, it draws emphasis to the sadness we feel.
Considering the fact that humour is a sign of intelligence, and the funnier it is, the more reason there is to believe them smart, it's no surprise such a person would feel disillusioned and hopeless about humanity. Jesters have always been the only person at court with immunity, under the guise of being "a fool", to comment on social issues and direct the monarch's power, so of course they were smart.
For me the history did make me connect more to the subject, the impotence of listening to the latest tales of incompetence of the leaders of my country makes me feel hopeless and the painting encompasses the brief moment of despair before having to go back to daily life. Excellent video btw, subscribed!!
I love your input! I feel like the painting is a huge sigh, some kind of pause in our daily life just to contemplate how bad things are. Thank you for your comment and thank you very much for subscribing!!
Exactly. The fact (I know you’re comment is from a year ago but even MORE relevant today) that we listen to comedians for advice over actual journalists and other “official” people….makes me feel the hopelessness in his face
@@rp-wn5or I definitely see the relevance to what has been happening today. It's as if all of the knowledge we as people have struggled to gain is being willfully forgotten by the ignorant. God save us all
In a way, that makes me think of Robin Williams. In a way, he was the real life sad clown. His films were captivating, entertaining and simply amazing. But in the end, he couldn't be happy himself...
I can't speak on Robin Williams so I won't comment but I can speak on Jim Carrey, he spent his entire life making others laugh. He got to a point where he truly wanted to see himself smile and that was only through self reflection even while reflecting on the world
The historical context seriously helps me to understand and feel the painting so much more! As someone who literally never knew what they were looking at in a painting, I never took them seriously cause I was never given a reason to I guess. I didn't care if a painting looked sad if I couldn't connect to it on a more grounded level. Feeling the weight of what Stanczyk has learned puts me in the scene with him, and instead of being confused, I'm commiserating.
I've heard the expression "sad clown" several times. But the juxtaposition of Matejko's depiction of Stanczyk set against a party in the background added a depth to that expression that I never really understood before now. Well done!
for those who struggle lifelong w/ depression, it is most definitely the emotion this painting blatantly puts in the viewer's face. this is what anyone feels upon the news of any sad event knowing there's a party going on behind him/her. everyone can identify w/ this and that is the eternal element of this painting. thank you sooooo much for posting this. first time i have ever given Matejko more than a passing glance b/c of the predominance of his historical depictions.
Nailed it. Wish he’d spent time talking about this. Historical context is always important in reading a painting. But this one like a few others is so purely an archetype and encapsulating an emotional status we need to spend time on that.
Jesters tended to be the voice of conciousness in a court full of people who lived blinded in wealth and power. Hidden in a mask of mockery and jokes a jester used to drop truth bombs to the court so in this case the historical context is what captures my attention. While he is the only one swallowing the reality of war, others live in another reality.
I agree that this is a very good paining. Feels very cerebral. I think the jester clothes worn by an intensely contemplative looking man are like all of the attempts by people to satisfy someone, to do what’s expected of him, and how difficult it is to maintain the facade of happiness.
i love this painting because of emothions it makes me feel. The jester's pose, his empty gaze, the contrast in their image - everything creates an atmosphere of sadness and emptiness
The character of the "sad clown" is also very well depicted in Ruggero Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" (Clowns) (1892). This painting somehow reminds me of that opera.
Within Poland Stańczyk is a very important lesson about not losing sight of what's important. He may be a jester, but is undeniably the most aware of a political situation he finds himself in, while the royal court and nobility gives into greed and decadency, the royal jester is aware of how powerless he is to stop them from bringing ruin to their once great commonwealth. He is the sorrow of a powerless intelligent man personified. He "understands to grief", while others give in to festivities.
In my mind it shows empathy in some degree. The clown, someone that’s just taken for granted as a person that’s just around to be silly and make people laugh, is subject to the same thing that their set out to cure, sadness. It shows that even a clown is can be subject to the same dark emotions that anyone else can experience. In simplistic terms, people are not what they seem at their surfaces. The clown has their own life too and like anyone else they can have moments of despair.
It's painful because, like you mentioned, he most likely has issues of his own that he'd need relief from but considering he's 'the cure' for so many people problems, who then will be that for him.
Stanczyk was not just simply the clown, he held a really strong position on Polish court. He was one of the greatest advisors to the King, and everyone thought twice, before offending him!
I’d argue that not only does it show the clown is subject to the same pain in life as everyone else, but that his job is to to ease others pain, and in doing so, their pain isn’t erased but is rather transferred into him.
His position on the chair and his facial expression are something very well-known to me Since I was 12 years old (I'm currently 16yrs old), I've been very curious about the expressions the people around me make. I've observed people, both classmates, and teachers, even my parents, and silently observed their demeanor. And this particular posture I know very well. It shows someone who had sunk to the depths of his emotions, devoid of any liveliness, and knows well what dread is. Someone who knows that something bad happened but won't tell anyone about it since he's too bothered to.
It’s the juxtaposition of the “clown” in reality being the smartest man in the kingdom. He, unlike anyone else, sees the writing on the wall . Historically jesters were actually highly intelligent (like comedians today) and were one of the few who could “clown” royalty and be exonerated. That’s why comedy is so important to society. Comedians are genius, using whit and laughter to subvert a message… weather one likes the message or not.
The story behind the painting makes this a very personal depiction of the artist's reality. But without the context, it's still capable of evoking emotions which is truly what art is imo.
Never knew the history of the painting but I've also thought of it as "Insight over all, power over none". A truly depressing fate. Nice to see I wasn't far off.
I never understood what people liked about art/paintings aside from admiring the painting skills of the artist, but this video explained the deeper meanings so well that even I got excited about it. Thanks. This video also actually helps me in my attempt to become a better photographer. The explaination about how the viewers attention is brought to the jester because of the contrast between the dark colors and the red, and also the part about the jester and the party looking like they belong together because of them being the same color. Very interesting.
_Stańczyk_ is a strange one for me and, I suppose, many other Poles as well. We were never given the luxury of looking at it without context; the moment it appears in our history or art textbooks, we're always told to read the invariable little note about the history behind it. And so, I've always viewed _Stańczyk_ in a very dry way, so to speak, devoid of any real emotion that a piece of art should evoke. Indeed, it never was a piece of art to me -- more like some sort of historical chronicle or even a mere accessory to one. All that being said, I do think learning the context can make the artwork more potent to some. It's just that you haven't really read about the whole thing. This, I'm sure, is because most Polish sources (and Western, too, if they're based on Polish analyses) usually take Poland's political situation in the 19th century for granted and don't bother spending that much time explaining it. And that situation was that, well, there was no Poland. Or rather, there was no sovereign Polish state, as ever since the late 18th century the lands of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine were occupied by the _three partitioners_ -- the Russian, Austrian and German Empire (formerly Prussia). Most art pieces and literature of the time were therefore devoted to showcasing one or more of three things: > Things used to be amazing and we squandered it. > Things are bad now and we have to do something about it (often implying another pointless uprising with close to zero chance of success). > Things could be amazing again, and isn't that brilliant that the possibilities are there? _Stańczyk_ is one of those pieces, indeed it's very deliberate in its implications. Let's look at point 1. In the 16th century, there was a period widely known as the Golden Age of the Commonwealth, one where culturally, economically and militarily Poland-Lithuania was more influential and/or more powerful than all of its Eastern European neighbours. Despite what some Poles would like others to think, this was a very short period of time and was quickly replaced by the "century of war", when the Polish-Lithuanian state was almost constantly in conflict (external and internal alike) and close to dissolution in the 1600s. The Golden Age also technically did not begin until 1569, when the Commonwealth was formed, but the reign of the last Jagiellonian kings (Sigismund I and II) in the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania was generally considered to be a cultural golden age as well. I think it's somewhat obvious where I'm going with this now. Let's look at the background of the painting again -- Queen Bona's ball. This implies, as you say, that the nobility and political elites aren't at all interested in the fall of Smolensk, preferring to party away late into the night. The Polish nobility's complacency, incompetence, greed and constant tendency to fight among themselves are frequently given causes to the fall of the Commonwealth, which by Poles is often erroneously viewed as simply Poland. Then there is the comet signifying terrible events, as they were so often believed to do. And finally, the fall of Smolensk itself -- here depicted as the first of many events that would lead to the loss of independence of the (then debatably in existence) Polish nation. Then there is Stańczyk himself. And while it was true that he was a very intelligent man, he was more than that. In many a royal court, the jester was not there to simply entertain the courtiers; rather they would give the bad news and offer political commentary, seemingly in jest, so that the monarch (who are often very fickle things) doesn't get too angry. This requires a level of intelligence and political foresight that causes Stańczyk to see the bigger picture -- it's not just some significant border fortress that was lost, it's the beginning of something so much more grave. And since Poles did not have a country to their name when the painting was created, and loved to fantasise about getting one some day, this resonated with people. The reason it still does, besides the truly depressing mood and composition, is probably some outdated sense of Polish martyrology that still lingers even in our school curriculum. Then there's point two, and this is just my interpretation. Stańczyk is given Matejko's face. This, I think, is significant. Just as the jester has to deliver the news of a major defeat that could spell doom to the country's integrity (though historically it didn't, but when was history not manipulated for agenda's sake), Matejko seems to be delivering the news to the occupied Polish people: things don't seem to be getting better anytime soon. And indeed they wouldn't. So one has to wonder, as Stańczyk would urge king Sigismund the Old to action against the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, was Matejko not urging the nation to action against the Empire of Russia? As I said already, from the modern perspective of anyone who isn't Polish, this probably won't resonate. Hell, it never had even with me, but I have my own (traitorous to some) views on this distnctly Polish interpretation of history. But I do believe learning the context, despite not adding much to your experience, is important to understand the painting's significance to the culture that bore it, and understanding why Matejko painted at all.
I didn't even notice the ball going on for years, but I understood the context subconsciously. The reason it resonates with people is because we are seeing the same things happening again, and it's depressing. You can understand his grief and helplessness at the situation.
Thanks for sharing this context Mateusz, it did add to my experience. I’ve seen this painting before and it resonates with me on a deep level, but I never knew the story behind it. I do agree that the context doesn’t add much to the experience of the painting, but as someone interested in early modern European history I enjoyed reading about polish attitudes and over optimism in the mid 1500s
@@krinkrin5982 it may resonate with people today even more than when it was painted. Today we’re able to see most of what is going on in society whenever we want, yet are generally powerless to do anything about it. We’re all able to criticize the king and make our opinions known, so we all take the role of the jester.
Yes, the grief isn't really for the loss of Smoleńsk but for Poland itself. This is still the height of power for Poland and Lithuania - the golden age - but the first signs of the fall of the Kingdom are there and the the audience - both when Matejko painted it and us now knows what happens next so the knowledge of impending doom adds to the sadness.
I had a chance to see this painting (or reprint that was almost identical) in a Polish Embassy. This is only a glimpse into how rich Polish art history is!
I’d never heard of this painting before but I found it so compelling. And your analysis of this painting and many of your other analyses are so informative! You go into such great detail with your takes it’s inspiring! I’m so happy to have stumbled across your channel!
It’s cliché but I still think the sadness comes from his face and especially his eyes. It just shows a hidden despair ,eternal melancholy , the juxtaposition of the suit he’s wearing and his true emotion can make anyone feel his pessimism
Jan Matejko is probably the most important painter in polish history and as a Pole I must say that for me historical context is exactly what made his paintings so special for us. Stanczyk is sad because he loved his country and was afraid for it. He was often referred to by writers and other artist (f.e. "Wesele" S. Wyspiański) as a symbol of wisdom.
One thing about this which now makes sense to me after hearing the backstory - he looks like a King on a throne. When I was a little kid I genuinely thought this was supposed to be King Verence II of Lancre, a fictional Fool-turned-King from a series of books I was fond of.
I never thought a painting could show more emotion rather seeing the jester alone at face value. The attention to detail to both historical context and the elements of the painting really shows the mixed emotions and conveys the thought of the jester.
its the depression in the body that does it for me. the slack of the legs just wanting to melt into the floor as if the chair is just in the way of a process, the hands held together limply contemplating everything thats going on, the far off look as he stares down into the floor completing the "were all going to die here and not a thing will stop it" look. all wrapped up in the silly little jester outfit, the job where happy is the end goal, and he looks utterly defeated. its sorrow captured perfectly.
I'd say the historic context of the painting *does* add to it, you just didn't get enough of it (which is understandable, the painting doesn't seem like the kind to require a decent understanding of renaissance/baroque era Poland's politics to understand). Stańczyk was there at a time when Poland's problems were starting to show up but didn't yet boil over into the 18th-century disaster that caused it to fall off Europe's maps. The kings bought nobility's favor with privileges, magnates bought lesser nobles to ensure the status quo wouldn't change, etc. He was seeing these things unfold, mocking and criticizing them, to no avail. In a way, I see Matejko putting his own face on Stańczyk as a sort of parallel between how the two of them saw these events. The jester was looking into the future with worry about Poland's coming downfall. The painter was wistfully looking into the past, lamenting the events that caused his nation to lose its' homeland.
The painter was also looking at his present. A strong message of "You guys haven't learned! We're 200+ years later and you're still doing the same exact shit!" Remember, there had been and were, at the time this was made, attempts to free/reunify Poland. Most were doomed more by leadership squabbles and diverging personal interests than anything intrinsic to the cause. Not all, obviously, but enough that I'm sure there was a degree of "You guys are repeating the exact same mistakes that got us here in the first place!" felt by many.
@@trianglemoebius Eh i got what you are saying buts it not really true The situation of Poland in the 1500's isnt comparable to the 1800's, the problem for Poland back then was the gradual rise of the nobles and being bribed by foreign nations, and the collapse of royal authority, the 1800's was when Poland didnt even exist, so i wouldnt say its like "they are still doing the same thing" because they cant And the thing that doomed the Polish uprisings wasnt leadership squabbles, it was that they were fighting an up hill battle with little foreign support
Great analysis. I’ve seen this painting several times online. I appreciate the background and explanation, but you’re right. I like the painting for its mystique and as a performer, I guess I felt like I could relate to it. I think you hit the nail on the head
This video kept popping up as a suggestion and today I finally gave into it and watched it. Rather interesting video and I’ve see the artwork before, but was unsure if it’s background until now.
I personally find it more poignant when the cause of the jester's mood remained a mystery, but I can see how knowing the context can give it more weight to some.
Actually the author of the video didn't include the whole historical context. He didn't do enough research in my opinion. The historical context is much more than the times of Stańczyk but when the painting was made. It's XIX century when Poland didn't exist on maps due to nobility's stupidity and moral fall who sold their country and let it be parted. The noblemen who are celebrating in the background are celebrating the fall of their country and Stańczyk knows it. Stańczyk understands we were the reason why we lost our independence and it just shows the tragedy of the fall of their country and losing freedom. While most of Matejko's pictures were meant to give people hope and show Poland's best times, this one is completely different because it shows the reason behind us losing independence - our own mistakes. The historical context of the times when the picture was made is more important than history in the picture. Stańczyk is not a patriot who sees his country's decadence but who already saw its fall which was unavoidable due to our mistakes.
There is ONE MORE layer to this. In Cracow, at the time when Matejko lived, conservative circles were called "Stańczycy" after figure of "Stańczyk". He, portraiting himself as sad Stańczyk with party in another room can be seen as comment about this group - they were accused by polish revolutionaries of being "impotent" and that they can't do anything for polish nation, which was, at that time, under partitions.
I like knowing the full story. In my eyes, it makes him relatable, rather than some enigma whose humanity evades us. Sure, we could relate to the sad clown figure in itself, but with less detail he's more of a general symbol than a human with a story. I think the details especially important as we seem to have a tendency to view past generations such as Stanczyk's as no more than, well, history. Knowing these stories helps us realize that the people of the past weren't actually that different from us.
I had this painting as my background on my laptop for ages in high school and it's still the unlock screen. It spoke to me in high school, and the greater historical context just drives that feeling home for me. Being funny can be a depressing job.
I would really like to thank you and the people behind this channel. I've been mesmerised by the passion and work behind this incredible content, which I've literally been devouring since I've discovered it.
@@TheCanvasArtHistory I know that to ones who knows little about Polish culture it seem like yet another nation fighting to preserve religion. But it is also about language. Polish is vary a lot from Russian. Also Poland had more freedoms than Russia. And Noble democracy was almost perfect system. Almost because it excluded voice of peasants and it was what led to its fall. Not Liberum Veto as many arugue. Because think about it majority is always wrong because majority of population is stupid. Wisdom recquire thinking and experiencing hardships and we know that little are that courageous. And when majority agrees on something then opposition sabotage their plans because they were not included in decisions. And when all agree then honour makes them fullfill promises. That is how it was for a long time. But since peasants were excluded they were exploited more & more. It even worsened when magnats (extremally wealthy nobles) accumulated capital. They were bribing very poor nobles to veto decisions that were not in accordance with their selfish interests. And occupant countries were bribing magnats. PS- If recommend you watching Lera Boroditsky's Ted Ex "How language shapes the way we think".
I am so so happy I found your channel, I'm grateful for your work, please, keep going! I'd love to see more Polish painters too! I feel like sometimes they can go overlooked or people only see the historical ones. I'd love to see a video on The Strange Garden by Jósef Mehoffer.
I think that the important thing with depressing art is that it's normally more important to the artist, than the audience. When you convey your thoughts and feelings in drawings rather than words, your audience can feel your feelings in a more contextual way. Seeing the history of why these visuals are in paintings like these gives you a sense of how it must have felt to be in the artists shoes, and in a sense feel the emotions he was feeling.
This video made me cry. When you explain the clown paradox and how the Jester in the painting is turning his back away but it’s his job. A tear poured out of my left eye because how very relatable it was to myself. I wanted to find this one self reflection but I find it
This picture breaks my heart due to the historical context, in my opinion it would be a crime against Polishness if the reason for its sadness were not known. And you did not add that Smolensk is a *very important* strategically located city - a stronghold in the dry passage between two great rivers separating the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia.
Stańczyk is Melancholic after reading a letter that announces the loss of Smolensk from Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There was no Commonwealth in 1514 or 1533. It formed in 1569.
@@zonako123 Yes, but painting was done to remind Poles of how great strategic loss was the loss of polish part of area of Smolensk Gate in first partition of PLC on example from their past.
Plus the two countries were already under personal union for ~100 years. The loss of Lithuania was the loss of Poland, and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was already the practical state of things before the documents were formally signed - of course barring differences in government, though not as big as one might think. Poland had a history of nobles' councils starting sometime in late medieval period. The nobles' democracy wasn't invented overnight, either.
As a Lithuanian it hurts when the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth just gets called “Poland”, feels like our contributions just gets pushed aside or erased from history. Even tho that letter their says Samogitia (region of Lithuania) and that Smolensk was part of the GDL
The time of the events in the painting was before Commonwealth. Also maybe you should care more about how Lithuania treats it's Polish citizens these days.
@@jedenzet as being a part of the Lithuanian minority in Poland you guys also treated us terribly where our language has been wiped out of most areas except a few towns. But relations have gotten much better in the past two decades. And as for the poles in Lithuania, that’s a complicated issue, but there hasn’t been real oppression there since post 1920’s, it’s not a crime to go to school and learn your countries language, along with theirs…but for the most part the problem is politically, they’re just stubborn people who still seem to act like they’re in the Soviet Union, and have relations with Russia which everyone knows is a big no no in Eastern Europe. Poland poles would not get along with Poles in Lithuania.
@@Comrade_Marius I'm sorry you experienced that in Poland. I love my country but hate the way it treats everyone who is not a 'typical Pole'. Although the situation is heartbreaking, at least I hope that the increase of Ukrainian people now will change that a little bit and we will start to open up to other cultures and languages. People are scared that polish culture will disappear but it's not the case. Most people just want to live in peace, not conflict. All the ignorance and hate towards each other always causes wars, disasters, and suffering. I watch all the things happening in Poland and I feel like Stanczyk myself, no joke
Your video half a year ago inspired me to go to Warsaw to see this drawing live. In the hall of Jan Matejko were his paintings and those of his students. Since that day, Jan Matejko has become one of my favorite artists. So thanks a lot for the video.
Most of Matejko's paintings were supposed to reflect the history of Poland in general. He was a historian painter, the person who's depiction polish ruler's appearance comes to mind when we think of them. All the scenes in his paintings are full of emotions that were following the painted event. So the loss of Smoleńsk being an impactful event on polish history was depicted in such a sad matter. For me (a pole and a huge history enjoyer) I find this painting even more powerful, because I didn't know about the context. Despite my diferent opinions about this painting, great video!
I always saw this in the Denver Art Museum growing up and I always thought it was a about the death of a family member for some reason, but I was still curious about it anyways, this video was fascinating and makes me appreciate it more. I think I'll go back to the art museum again soon.
In addition to what you mentioned, my first automatic impression of the darkness and red/fire like colors was as almost "hellish". So I think it captures a strong idea of condemnation and hopeless fate. (maybe of the author, the Polish nation, or even all of humanity).
The historical context adds so much depth. A man whose about to lose his home and way of life while his royalty drinks themselves into a stupor around the corner. Such dread he must feel.
Seeing as how Matejko's self portrait is him much older than 24, I'd say he modeled his self portrait after Stańczyk. Melancholy in reminiscence of a younger self can lead to the sad clown paradox in entertainers, and Matejko himself was not immune.
I love this piece because not only did it have an interpretation years ago but it also has a different one now. A work of art that can have multiple meanings is timeless in my opinion
Learning about it more didn’t improve your appreciation because it’s a perfect self-insert painting. Literally from the artists perspective, but also from our perspective, as evidenced by the way the image is used in memes today.
He was only 24 when he painted it? What a tremendously talented painter. Sad that no current artist could do half as good a job at the end of their career.
I can lean you on a little fact about aritsts from the past - a lot of them olny ever worked as artists, and they did it form very young age. They usualy started around 10-12 years old, and most of their education revolved around painting. And if most of your time is spend at just one specific thing, then you become very good at it. And it made sense back in the day to make thouse type of artists, becouse there was no photography, the olny way for someone to have a picture of themself was to hire a painter. Today we don't have this need, so we don't have a market for it. Becouse of that you won't see as many people making paintings like this, they need to make money of something and oli paintings won't help you pay the rent now a days. So insted focusing their time on one specific skill they branch off, and when you do that you're sacrificeing the time and recources that could help you to delelop this level of skill Hope this helps
Honestly I think it's a good thing that people don't draw so realistically as then. To me it just shows that they're having fun with art instead of worrying if it's realistic enough
This painting reminds me of a scene VII "salon warszawski" from Adam Mickiewicz's Dziady cz. III. In the scene polish nobles were partying. They didn't care about Poland and were only interested in having fun. There were only few people standing on a side that were conserned about their country's future.
The point of the jester was to satirize politics. When even the jester cannot find something to make light of, that shows how bad the situation has gotten
Hey! If you enjoy these comments, you'll probably enjoy the Discord server! discord.gg/Qx2gaq9T
im polish, the reason stanczyk is an autoportret of matejko, is because in matejko's times, as in stanczyk's, the people in charge were reckless and didnt care for polish community, at that time, poland wasnt independent and the rich cared only for themselves, not for their nation
“A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater." - Soren Kierkegaard
I read this comment and scrolled on. Then I realized I couldn’t get it out of my head and I appreciated the layers of the quote.
I came back to this video only to give this comment a thumbs-up. Well done
"It's even funnier the second time!"
@@davisdf3064 unfortunately some don't live to hear the joke twice
I sometimes wonder if I made myself the clown too much, and now I am incapable of asking for help
@@JJ-qx3cb
That just makes it even more precious
I also love the little detail of the carpet, the fact that it's "wrinkled" as if the jester let his whole weight fall to the chair in despair.
Funny enough, it's not even wrinkled in the way you'd expect. If he was pushing back with his feet, or letting the weight of of his body push the chair back, the wrinkle should be behind the feet of the chair. But it's in between the chair and his legs, suggesting he's drawing his legs in. It almost seems like at one time he was preparing to stand up, but couldn't figure out how to break the news, and was left in his chair powerless and melancholy.
For me, the dimension of the chairs likely calls for an authority but can never be for he is a just a jester.
@@imstupid880 I noticed that too, but the idea of him hesitant to stand is a really good analysis!
Yeah
O
This is probably a reach, but I have a different interpretation, thanks for pointing it out. The way I see it Stanczyk just leaned back in the chair to take a load off after all the entertainment he was providing to the guests, but then he started thinking. Something along the lines of 'I should probably get back to the party, it is my job. But shouldn't they also be doing their jobs? This much partying and this is the result? Is this how you do as a king? Am I just failing at my job?' and as he's thinking he's slowly pulling his entire body inwards from the load of insecurity.
The historical context made it more relatable to me. The country is going into total catastrophe and the ruling class is decadent. The one person who cares is not in any position to fix it. I think such a "we're all doomed thanks to the rulers" perspective is very relatable to everyone, not just Poland.
100% agree, was pretty shocked he almost disregarded it just for "look the jester is sad"
He should have done more historical research, because the nobles, celebrating in the background, and their carelessness for the affairs of the state, literally proved to be the downfall of Poland at the end of the 18th century (around 270 years after the event of this painting takes place), the painting is literally foreshadowing the decline and eventual destruction of Poland
the real paradox here is that the Jester, the one who is meant to make people laugh, is the most concerned about his countries future, and not the people with the highest say, the nobles
The way you described it reminded me of "don't look up"
Crazy how that was a problem hundreds of years ago and that problem hasn't changed one bit
Interesting
Same.. I feel the same way Stancyk does in the context of my country.
We could be so great.
There's a hopelessness in this painting that makes my heart hurt. To my understanding, jesters often had the job of breaking bad news to their lord. The partiers dance, oblivious to what has happened, and he has to go in there and shatter that illusion. He has to go in there and say what no-one wants to hear, at the time they least want to hear it.
BREAKING BAD 😂😂❤
@@kidcolbs8987 😐
@kid colbs wtf breaking bad is so popular they made meth real🥶🥶🥶🥶
Stanczyk, put away your acts stanczyk.
Breaking Sad
Knowing the background history of the painting makes me realize that the painter intended this painting for a very specific audience that I’m not a part of.
Haha😂 you can only get smarter
Well an audience that to some extent no longer exists, but in another sense you become more a part of ny knwoing
I see it as a painting about a patriot's love for his country, quite a timeless and universal theme.
@@Your_President_Kanye_East The fact that you have that pfp of all things
I think while yes, it is made for a time long back, there is still the reliability that comes from his utter loneliness even with the context. Just because this guy didn't explicitly state the tragedy isn't an amalgamation of the political AND personal struggles of the clown dosen't mean that it wasn't meant to be that. A quite literal death of the author, which is a philosophy I personally don't agree with but.. the author, or painter for this, is literally dead
it's the look on his face that gets me. i know that look, complete emptiness, hollow, disheveled, feeling like everything is crumbling around him, like he just *isnt there* , and his posture shows he's metaphorically and physically slumping and sinking deeper and deeper into this emptiness. and the fact that it's somebody who makes other laugh makes it so its something a lot of people can relate to.
That is the look of having absolutely know idea who you are and what you will do.
Maybe he's on a break.
@@MarcColten-us2pl i like the optimistic thinking :D
I think what you get from the painting, like most art pieces, is subjective
It's not mentioned in the video, but according to legend, Smolenk was his home. This is him reacting to the news that everyone he's ever known and loved is dead.
I can tell you one thing polish people really appreciate is when someone takes the time to actually learn how to properly pronounce polish words. good job.
I did notice he must've checked and replicated Polish pronounciations. To me it never really mattered that Americans pronounce Polish words, names in an americanized way, it's natural to... well, naturalize... pronounciation of what you're reading to your native language and I was just used to it. But in recent years you can get labelled a racist when you put just the accent in "Kamala" or "Kabul" or whatever like you would in an English name, and it suddenly occured to me that I'm still hearing Kowalski pronounced as "Kaualski" like I've been hearing it for decades and that isn't a problem to anybody. Noticed same double standard for Italian names too.
but Smolénsk...
that's a stupid way to live life.
VERY true! I always get a good giggle when people mispronounce polish words, but I am pretty grateful when people actually do their research.
I think this is universal among all languages; people really appreciate you if you at least try to pronounce their words and names right, always do!
"A story is told that in 1806 a man goes to visit a doctor who is acclaimed for his ability to treat melancholia. “I can’t eat, I can’t sleep,” says the man. “I feel constantly miserable. Please help me, doctor.”
“Laughter is the best medicine, my friend,” says the doctor. “Take yourself off to Covent Garden Theatre* where you will find The Great Grimaldi performing in Harlequin and Mother Goose; or the Golden Egg. It is exquisitely funny and will cure you of all your ills without any pills or potions from my cabinet.”
The man looks at the doctor for a moment. “Ah,” he says. “That won’t help.”
“Why not, sir?”
The man shrugs. “I am Grimaldi.”
this is a the real version from the 1800s the other version is what rorshach says in the watchmen comics from 1986 also in the movie.
Another writer commented that _’His performances elevated his role by "acute observation upon the foibles and absurdities of society... He is the finest practical satyrist that ever existed.'_
I didn't realize that he also felt trapped in his father's figure
Oddly, Wikipedia has a great page on him, including other artworks with Grimaldi as the subject.
Yeah, that story is quite popular all over the world. As somebody in a previous response said, Rorschach said the Pagliacci version in Watchmen. BoJack Horseman did its own version with the concept of Mr. Peanutbutter being a very popular meme, Sad Dog, whilst fighting depression himself. And also, here in Mexico we have a very famous poem (and my favourite, I might add) called "Reír Llorando", which would translate to "Laugh Crying", which centers in a famous comedian called Garrick, whom everybody loves and laughs at his every joke. One day a physician receives a new patient and after talking about the sadness overwhelming him, the physician recommends multiple ideas, all of which the unknown patient has previously done or does on a regular basis. Then, as you may know by now, the physicians urges him to go see Garrick as he is the patient's last option for some happiness, to which he says "Así, no me curo. ¡Yo soy Garrick, cambiadme la receta!" ("I can't heal that way. I am Garrick, change the prescription!")
I was wondering if the narrator was going to mention that acecdote in the video, and when he didn't, I was intending to relate it in the comments, but decided to first look through the comments to see if anyone else had done so. I had never heard of the phrase "sad clown paradox" before I saw the video title, but as soon as I saw the title, I immediately thought of that anecdote, even before I started watching the video.
i like this
For me, Stanczyk is one of the darkest paintings ever produced as it brings home the dark reality of life. Many pieces of art such as Goya's, while easily considered dark, are surreal and things we cannot comprehend, but something we all face over life is the feeling of crippling loneliness which is captured to perfection by Matejko in said piece. Man's own mind is the most terrifying thing there is, at least as far as I'm concerned.
im polish, i know our history and this painting, for me it is so powerful because stanczyk there understands the tragedy that is happening back then and there - for us modern polish, we can relate because we already know about those events that are in the distant past but when i look at this painting im recaptured in a moment of realization that one event will begin the end, even though i know it is done, im brought back to this memory i did not have and yet can relate to, like stanczyk i feel i cannot do anything about it - i think that is kind of universal feeling we can share when looking at this painting, i would say the worst feeling is not when you challenge the dark times but the moment when you realize it is upon you and out of your control, feeling helplessness
@@shambexPL Thanks for your reply! That's a really interesting take and you make some great points. That feeling of impending doom and having no control over it, knowing it's coming and feeling dread, so relatable to us all, on a different scale perhaps but nonetheless.
You've made me see the piece in a different light with your comment. I suffer from severe OCD so like Stańczyk in this piece, I often remove myself from the good times and party because I am stuck in my thoughts, dreading an imaginary situation or something of the sort.
Thanks for your comment man, it's really interesting to hear another take.
I like reading comments and seeings their own opinions, i loved reading both of yours, thanks for sharing
@@deaqi my pleasure, thanks for your kind words :)
In my understanding this painting has two main themes: one historical, which shows how low has Poland fell (if the jester is the only one remaining who cares about the realm) and the second one, purely emotional, which shows a man who just realized that there's nothing more he can do to protect something he loves, there's only downfall ahead despite the fact that what he loves could be easily saved but not by himself alone.
Poland was getting to the peak of her greatness actually, while Stanczyk was alive. The sadness that you see in jester, is a premonition of things to come. Matejko was painting this, while Poland was no more and there was a little hope of independence returning.
@@petegrusky2715 Look at poor little poland today. Stanzik might've just hung himself in that painting instead if he saw poland today.
@@3rayallen Poland is doing fine... It is the west, that needs help.
@@petegrusky2715Poland is not doing fine, the government is filled with the fascist party and they shut down a journalist company who spoke out against them
@@3rayallenmodern Poland is literally one of the best versions of the Polish state to exist, sure it’s a lot smaller then the days of the commonwealth, and it’s population is declining, but it’s growing economically, militarily, and is growing in popularity every year
This can also be interpreted as: "How can I bring up the bad news without killing the mood?"
Which is itself, a fascinating concept. This isn't "bad news" as in someone's horse ran away, or something minor. They've just passed a major threshold, and the doom of their country has been sealed. Poland would, after this, go from one of the most powerful countries in Europe to being divvied into partitions by foreign powers in only 200 years.
Yet, once he learns this devastating news, Stańczyk's primary concern appears to be not to ruin the mood of a party - the party itself as symptom of the poor leadership that has led them to this loss.
Perhaps Stańczyk, as wise as he was, was not as detached from social conventions as some might think? Or perhaps he's well aware, and it's merely his self-preservation making that his concern... but even then, there's a lot of thought to be put into leaders that would rather be happy and ignorant, which is a major factory to their country's losses, than be faced with said losses they caused.
@@trianglemoebius wow such great interpretation with this new perspective
It's even worse. The people in the back aren't mindlessly throwing a party- they are celebrating a minor battle victory against Russians, but don't give a fuck about losing one of the bigger cities, one that won't be taken back. Only Stańczyk knows and understands consequenses of losing Smoleńsk
makes me think how some ppl add "lol" at the end of a sad message to curb the full impact
@@micanikko my life is in shamble and things are getting worse and worse each day lol
I think that understanding of Matejko's envoy isn't possible without deeper knowledge of Polish history. Jan Matejko worked in the times in which there was no Polish state. In my opinion loss of Smolensk wasn't for Matejko just loss of one of fortresses at the eastern border but a beginning of a series of events which led to fall of state which used to be one of the greatest in the continent (A Polish Nobleman, Rembrandt; Stephen Bathory at Pskov, Matejko), which led to partitions of Poland, replacement of Nobles' Democracy with absolute monarchies, whole generations sentenced to work in Siberia (Christmas Eve in Siberia, Jacek Malczewski; Farewell to Europe, Aleksander Sochaczewski). I'm sure that people who saw 'Stanczyk' in XIX century were aware of it and could fully understand how huge is Stanczyk's sorrow. In this context 'Stanczyk' seems to be not only expression of grief but also a warning for future generations to care for the state more than Queen Bona.
This is so true I disagree with what the guy said about how the context doesn't add emotion, but rather it's the context that makes it all the more melancholy. stanczyk can forsee the eventual end of his homeland, and matejko at the time of painting had no way of knowing I it would ever exist again.
This. As a Pole, this is exactly what makes this painting so powerful.
In a way, it reminds me of the story of Cassandra, except with an added layer of tragic irony.
Here, the only person who realizes the gravity of the situation is the fool, who is supposed to entertain people... And the only people who are capable of stopping the tragedy, are too busy fooling around to realize the repercussions that this is going to bring about.
The Biden administration in a nutshell.
@@mywifesboyfriend5558 Jeeze, make everything about Murica right.
@@MammothDzn Everything is about America, son. Keep that in mind when you beg for our help. AGAIN. 🇺🇸
I think this is the only piece of art in which I ever connected to so deeply,
Music is art too... Do you really not connect to some pieces deeply?
What about the picture where Napoleon is sitting awkwardly in a chair with a very sad brooding face? I think it’s called Napoleon at Fontainebleau.
@@StopFear I far, far prefer Stanczyk
Sour bleu is mine
And this one ig
A fun(?) fact: the Wawel castle in the background is a really important piece of Polish culture, there are coffins of kings and poets such as Mickiewicz in its basement. I love that detail, because, knowing the historical context, Matejko showed us: not only the letter is about a 'fall of the empire', not only the commet, also the basement of Wawel awaiting for anoher fallen king
Oh shit, that must've been important context! Jester knew how it'll go down but he could do nothing...
3:50 Functionally, the specific cause of Stanczyk's sadness is unknown to the modern viewer. Most people today will not know the historical references on sight. But, the relationship between the central figure and the other figures (the comet, the revelers) remains relevant beyond the original context.
The numbers are larger, technology has advanced, and the faces and settings have changed, but I promise you there are Stanczyks and mindless revelers here today.
I think the piece you’re missing to this puzzle is that in a lot of cases, it was the jesters job to bring bad news to the king. And if they didn’t put it the right way, it would be their head on the floor
That wasn't polish tradition. It was just people at party didn't realize long-term implications for Poland caused by losing Smoleńsk, while Stańczyk saw beginning of an end for Poland. Russia/Muscovy during that time was not yet that dangerous for Poland but it grows and became one of countries that end Polish state.
@Bolesław II 🏳️🌈⃠ . bro has homophobia in his name fr
@@ShavoSoaDer It causes a interesting dynamic here. The jester, the entertainer is the only one actually aware of the current situation and its implications. While the people at the party, which should be the one smart enough to worry aren't.
Jesters don't get killed. Jesters were often nobles and you don't kill nobles. They just lose favour if they deliver the news badly and maybe get fired.
@@liamjm9278 Which would cost them loads of social prestige and be equivalent to death.
They didn't guillotine them like SharkBoi suggested, but they would still pay very, very dearly.
"I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it's like to feel absolutely worthless and they don't want anyone else to feel like that" - Robin Williams
Saddest poeple arent cheering anyone up.
@@Turnpost2552 Welcome! Please don't mind the dry air and extremely bright ball of light in the sky. That's normal for us who have not been living under a rock up to this point, but I'm sure you'll get used to it, too. When you're settled in, you might want to look up the gentleman who made that quote above. It seems you missed out on his work.
@@Turnpost2552 it's not our problem you're so insufferable no one tries to cheer you up
bro chill this is waaaaaay more important and deeper than a robin williams quote😂
@@ez609 DID you forget who robin Willams was ?? he was wholesome always happy smiling and making people laugh yet he was really depressed , the painting correlates perfectly that's why it said the study of sad clown paradox for actors comedians and artists
I think there’s another piece of literary/historical context which is important here. Historically the clown or fool has played an important social role and, in many societies throughout history, has been considered a high-status individual as a result. That role has been to hold a mirror up to society through humour - as many standup comics seek to do today - and in many societies the clown has often been one of the few people who can speak truth to power. The fool in Shakespeare’s Lear is a great example.
Understanding that, in conjunction with the historical context here, gives a sense of a jester who feels isolated by the gravity of the political situation and the weight of his role within it.
The political elite don’t understand or care about the situation - they are partying away. The clown is caught between an elite who care not a jot, and the wider world which is dependent on the decisions of their leaders to protect them. The clown has the job of influencing the behaviour and policy of the ruling class, and the outside world depends on him succeeding.
The clowns sadness therefore lies in the age old tension between the lack of seriousness of Politicians and the impact that their decisions have on their citizens/subjects.
Incidentally, this has real resonance in the UK right now - partygate anyone?
For me, this context - combined with the specific context outlined in this video - adds hugely to the painting. It speaks to the weight and loneliness that must be felt by anyone who has the role of holding the powerful to account.
Never before have I heard such a depiction of Stańczyk
Beautifully said
Well said. Here in the states, clowns are no longer revered or even seen as funny. We're either seen as the horror movie killer clowns or an abhorrently hopeless fool. This is my current sadness. The rest applies quite well with the circus side show our government became after Obama left office.
What kind of Woyzeck is this
A bit of a stretch, but good analysis!
This is the first and only painting that I have ever connected with. Not only that, but I connect with it on both a historical and personal level and I keep coming back to it over the years. I can feel his dispair, his emptiness, his dissapointment, his worry, his hopelessness. I can understand all of it and I can feel it with him. This painting will always hold a special place in my heart.
I hope you are doing well, I wish you the best and I ecourage you to feel comfortable for reaching out for help
as a polish person, I was more thrilled about you saying the titles of the paintings and saying Jan Matejko really good than on the painting itself. it's not really often that someone gets it right.
I believe that the historical context adds to the painting in a way, due to the fact that the clown realizes there is nothing he can say or do to save Poland due to his status as a performer, even though he has much more wisdom than the monarchs. In a way he is bound by status and he is unable to say what his nation so desperately needs, and if he did he would likely not see the end of it.
Beautifully said! Him being trapped in his jester, clown role contrasting with serious, tragic fate he's the only one to see, but unable to change it.
I have completely the same impression of this picture. Being wise to see and feel the whole picture, but being in position which makes it unable to change it...
That's the fate of the trickster archetype. He is wise, yet foolish, and can see the absurdity of this thing called life with crystal clear precision. Unfortunately, the words of the jester are often disregarded, and his status as fool is both a blessing and a curse.
Great analysis. The painting holds on its own but the background adds another interpretation as you said. That besides his status as the favourite jester among other common people he's still powerless. This being painted in xix also serves as a reminder of the errors of their previous nobles and the battles Poland had to went through
surrealist clown paintings made using AI ruclips.net/video/FjiMhFsFKoE/видео.html
The wonderful thing about paintings is their interpretation.
Stańczyk is a jester that appears in a book called "Wesele" (Stanisław Wyspiański) as a ghost.
The book depicts different types of thinking patterns polish people went for at the time and how these patterns and sins will lead to the fall of Poland.
Stańczyk, as one of the wisest people in Poland, points out the wrongs in the person he talks to (The Journalist) and people on this wedding reception, telling them that if they continue everything will go wrong.
Everyone ignores him.
So you could also interpret the painting as Stańczyk sitting in a state of melancholy, knowing that people behind him are blind and ignorant, knowing that he can't do anything to save his motherland.
It makes sense to me that the jesters job was to deliver news to the person in command in a funny way. So, the painting itself is very powerful and the video provided a lot of context that I wouldn’t have figured out on my own. The tower didn’t catch my eye until you pointed it out.
Good observations, my friend
You're right. He might not be sad...he might just be puzzled; and, simply doesn't know how to deliver the messege in a funny way, because there's nothing funny about it. He might be lost in thought, and not really avoiding the party due to sadness. He might be sitting alone, away from the noise and commotion of the party in order to simply THINK of a way of delivering the bad news in a comical way. Well...I might be a few hundred years too late...but, I can help good ol' Stan out by writing a joke for him:
STANCZYK: "Hey! Did everyone hear about Smolensk? It fell harder than my Grandma falling down the stairs!" [crickets chirping]
..................yeah...ummm.....no need to get up, everyone. I'll just let myself out.
Here I thought a jester’s job was to simply entertain.
They handle the harsh true.
the contrast between the jester and the royalty to me stand out quite a bit. its another paradox in a sense how they are partying when so much is at stake, while the jester (often perceived as on the other side of the spectrum from nobility), has the full realization and is taking on the emotional burdens that come with the news. its almost a ying yang style juxtaposition
I love the sad clown paradox because it emphasizes the significance of showing kindness and empathy towards others, regardless of their outward appearance. It serves as a reminder that we cannot truly understand what someone else might be experiencing, and that it's crucial to treat others with compassion and empathy. By doing so, we can create a more nurturing and supportive environment where people are comfortable expressing their real emotions, which Stanczyk was unfortunately not able to.
Matejko was a great artist and we should appreciate his amazing work of art. He is one of the GREATEST polish painters of all the time. I love his works because they have meaning and you can stare at them for hours and still, you wouldnt be able to see all of those great details that he has painted in them…
A historical figure, well known to be, in fact, the King Sigismund top adviser. Framing anything as a joke, he could actually tell the King anything, at any time. The painting by Matejko (Mah-tey-co) elevated Stańczyk to the entirely new hights. In modern Polish culture, "Stańczyk" became synonymous with a sage ahead of his time, a thinker, almost a prophet, an epitomy of wisdom, harsh realism, and foresight.
For me, knowing the context of the painting does not make it more or less appealing, but it certainly adds another layer of meaning to it. Matejko was painting this when Poland didn't exist (it was divided in three parts ruled by Russia, Prussia and Austria) and he really felt like Stańczyk might have felt knowing what is going to happen, but not being able to prevent it. As you said, Stańczyk's garment and the room in the background are both red as if they should be connected, but they're not. For me, the gap between them is a symbol of another disparity - the king and royal court have power, Stańczyk does not. This, I think, is the cause of his despair, and the cause of Matejko's despair, who also - as someone looking at the event from a time perspective - knew what is going to happen. And yet, the ones who have knowledge also happen to be the ones who have no power. And this, I think, is the real paradox of this painting.
I feel everyone here is some super genius meanwhile i am looking up how to draw sad clowns.
This is a really thought-provoking comment. Perhaps this painting is doubly resonant because it's not just a painting of a man who knows what might happen, it is a painting of a man who in fact does know what happens -- not just the historical Stańczyk reading the news, this painting is also a self portrait of the painter reading the history of his country, knowing what will happen but as you said, powerless to stop it. The legendary figure of Stańczyk vindicated by the figure of the (at that time) contemporary Pole.
It resonate with the mythological figure of Cassandra then, and it's tragic but beautiful.
this is also what i thought. knowing the context of the painting helped me figure out the kind of despair thats being shown in stanczyk’s face, the despair of knowing your nation is falling apart without any power to stop it
Its a feeling i think many of us have had before. That the people who could truly make everything better are simply not the ones pulling the strings. I dont know about you, but i sometimes think about what i would do if i was in power. All the things i would fix. Wheter or not i could actually fix things is a whole other thing entirely lol.
I always saw this painting in passing and thought it was cool, but now that I know what it's depicting I love it. The Jester is sad because he knows his country will soon be occupied by foriegn invaders. He is seen by his people as a jovial entertainer, and enjoys this role. However he is also not a fool, and is well educated in worldy matters, and the modern geopolitical situation, likley history too. He shows dissapointment in the party behind him as they are seemingly oblivious to things which are common sense to the Jester. The only man who knows the full extent of the situation is dressed like a clown.
Not really. He is not "the only one". He is "one amongst the few" who know about the news wich may bring the downfall of Poland. But he cares and that is what we see here.
I imagine it is connected to the myth in which the jester had to bring bad news to the Emperor. Or a King in this situation.
And the jester in this painting knows, that the news HE is about to bring may also bring his death.
We see the totality of an inverted, upside down world when the jester reaches this status.
I think a major part of the Sad Clown Paradox is not just that someone is working so hard to make others happy or joyful and yet unable to do so for themselves but that we also imagine these people as bright and cheerful and happy. When Robbin Williams died there was this added layer of sadness, not only was he someone who had brought joy to our lives and for such a long time but we could not even see he was sad. He was often seen as happy and cheerful and carrying one of the largest and brightest smiles. To find that someone who we had always seen as happy was so depressed was shocking, it contradicts expectations: people who make us laugh and seem happy ARE happy and people who are sad are CLEARLY sad and unhappy. We were blind and surprised which only added to the devastation. Our realization of our own ignorance only seems to add to the sadness we feel. It's sad but expected when the melancholy person is sad but it is shocking when the bright lively person is down, it draws emphasis to the sadness we feel.
Considering the fact that humour is a sign of intelligence, and the funnier it is, the more reason there is to believe them smart, it's no surprise such a person would feel disillusioned and hopeless about humanity. Jesters have always been the only person at court with immunity, under the guise of being "a fool", to comment on social issues and direct the monarch's power, so of course they were smart.
The emotion I got from seeing this painting genuinely made me cry. The scene captured is a place I’m too familiar with
For me the history did make me connect more to the subject, the impotence of listening to the latest tales of incompetence of the leaders of my country makes me feel hopeless and the painting encompasses the brief moment of despair before having to go back to daily life. Excellent video btw, subscribed!!
I love your input! I feel like the painting is a huge sigh, some kind of pause in our daily life just to contemplate how bad things are.
Thank you for your comment and thank you very much for subscribing!!
Exactly. The fact (I know you’re comment is from a year ago but even MORE relevant today) that we listen to comedians for advice over actual journalists and other “official” people….makes me feel the hopelessness in his face
@@rp-wn5or I definitely see the relevance to what has been happening today. It's as if all of the knowledge we as people have struggled to gain is being willfully forgotten by the ignorant. God save us all
How do you manage to go back to daily life? That's where I get stuck.
LOL
"To everyone else the jester is simply a fool, but to himself he is a light in an otherwise dark world"
In a way, that makes me think of Robin Williams. In a way, he was the real life sad clown. His films were captivating, entertaining and simply amazing. But in the end, he couldn't be happy himself...
Jim Carrey too.
Actors in general seem to have a bad habit of not being happy with themselves.
@@InkfinityOkamix3 That's what happens when you live the life of a self-entitled narcissist.
@@InkfinityOkamix3 Falsehood is not good for your mental health. You should always be transparent. And idolizing people is bad habit to have.
I can't speak on Robin Williams so I won't comment but I can speak on Jim Carrey, he spent his entire life making others laugh. He got to a point where he truly wanted to see himself smile and that was only through self reflection even while reflecting on the world
The historical context seriously helps me to understand and feel the painting so much more! As someone who literally never knew what they were looking at in a painting, I never took them seriously cause I was never given a reason to I guess. I didn't care if a painting looked sad if I couldn't connect to it on a more grounded level. Feeling the weight of what Stanczyk has learned puts me in the scene with him, and instead of being confused, I'm commiserating.
I've heard the expression "sad clown" several times. But the juxtaposition of Matejko's depiction of Stanczyk set against a party in the background added a depth to that expression that I never really understood before now. Well done!
for those who struggle lifelong w/ depression, it is most definitely the emotion this painting blatantly puts in the viewer's face. this is what anyone feels upon the news of any sad event knowing there's a party going on behind him/her. everyone can identify w/ this and that is the eternal element of this painting. thank you sooooo much for posting this. first time i have ever given Matejko more than a passing glance b/c of the predominance of his historical depictions.
Nailed it. Wish he’d spent time talking about this.
Historical context is always important in reading a painting.
But this one like a few others is so purely an archetype and encapsulating an emotional status we need to spend time on that.
Exactly what I thought. Depression
Jesters tended to be the voice of conciousness in a court full of people who lived blinded in wealth and power. Hidden in a mask of mockery and jokes a jester used to drop truth bombs to the court so in this case the historical context is what captures my attention. While he is the only one swallowing the reality of war, others live in another reality.
I agree that this is a very good paining. Feels very cerebral. I think the jester clothes worn by an intensely contemplative looking man are like all of the attempts by people to satisfy someone, to do what’s expected of him, and how difficult it is to maintain the facade of happiness.
i love this painting because of emothions it makes me feel. The jester's pose, his empty gaze, the contrast in their image - everything creates an atmosphere of sadness and emptiness
it's also the irony that a simple jester takes the bad news more seriously than the ones who hold power that lends itself to the disconnect
The character of the "sad clown" is also very well depicted in Ruggero Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci" (Clowns) (1892). This painting somehow reminds me of that opera.
Rorschach's joke in Watchmen
yes i had the same thought
This came to mind for me too
surrealist clown paintings made using AI ruclips.net/video/FjiMhFsFKoE/видео.html
Within Poland Stańczyk is a very important lesson about not losing sight of what's important. He may be a jester, but is undeniably the most aware of a political situation he finds himself in, while the royal court and nobility gives into greed and decadency, the royal jester is aware of how powerless he is to stop them from bringing ruin to their once great commonwealth. He is the sorrow of a powerless intelligent man personified. He "understands to grief", while others give in to festivities.
In my mind it shows empathy in some degree. The clown, someone that’s just taken for granted as a person that’s just around to be silly and make people laugh, is subject to the same thing that their set out to cure, sadness. It shows that even a clown is can be subject to the same dark emotions that anyone else can experience. In simplistic terms, people are not what they seem at their surfaces. The clown has their own life too and like anyone else they can have moments of despair.
It's painful because, like you mentioned, he most likely has issues of his own that he'd need relief from but considering he's 'the cure' for so many people problems, who then will be that for him.
Stanczyk was not just simply the clown, he held a really strong position on Polish court. He was one of the greatest advisors to the King, and everyone thought twice, before offending him!
I’d argue that not only does it show the clown is subject to the same pain in life as everyone else, but that his job is to to ease others pain, and in doing so, their pain isn’t erased but is rather transferred into him.
I’ve always loved this painting but didn’t understand the story behind it until now. Thanks for the video!
His position on the chair and his facial expression are something very well-known to me
Since I was 12 years old (I'm currently 16yrs old), I've been very curious about the expressions the people around me make. I've observed people, both classmates, and teachers, even my parents, and silently observed their demeanor.
And this particular posture I know very well. It shows someone who had sunk to the depths of his emotions, devoid of any liveliness, and knows well what dread is. Someone who knows that something bad happened but won't tell anyone about it since he's too bothered to.
I can relate especially last paragraph
voice: check
presentation: check
actual research: check
careful analysis and dissection: check
guess we have found a hidden gem boys!!!
Wow! So many compliments in one comment! Thank you so much!
It’s the juxtaposition of the “clown” in reality being the smartest man in the kingdom. He, unlike anyone else, sees the writing on the wall .
Historically jesters were actually highly intelligent (like comedians today) and were one of the few who could “clown” royalty and be exonerated. That’s why comedy is so important to society. Comedians are genius, using whit and laughter to subvert a message… weather one likes the message or not.
This. I have never known of a great comedian who wasn't highly intelligent.
nailed it
@@RodCornholio Amy schuemer 😬
@@CaseyGumball not sure Amy is considered a great comedian.
@@halphy7512 even calling her a comedian is a bit of a stretch
To me, knowing that the jester is perturbed by the downfall of his nation makes it all the more powerful.
Jesus Christ is our lord and savior
@@Yourmymomdad yes for the last 2k years and to less than a quarter of the planet.
The story behind the painting makes this a very personal depiction of the artist's reality.
But without the context, it's still capable of evoking emotions which is truly what art is imo.
Never have I ever been enthralled with a video about an old ass painting, great content man.
Never knew the history of the painting but I've also thought of it as "Insight over all, power over none". A truly depressing fate.
Nice to see I wasn't far off.
I never understood what people liked about art/paintings aside from admiring the painting skills of the artist, but this video explained the deeper meanings so well that even I got excited about it. Thanks. This video also actually helps me in my attempt to become a better photographer. The explaination about how the viewers attention is brought to the jester because of the contrast between the dark colors and the red, and also the part about the jester and the party looking like they belong together because of them being the same color. Very interesting.
_Stańczyk_ is a strange one for me and, I suppose, many other Poles as well. We were never given the luxury of looking at it without context; the moment it appears in our history or art textbooks, we're always told to read the invariable little note about the history behind it. And so, I've always viewed _Stańczyk_ in a very dry way, so to speak, devoid of any real emotion that a piece of art should evoke. Indeed, it never was a piece of art to me -- more like some sort of historical chronicle or even a mere accessory to one.
All that being said, I do think learning the context can make the artwork more potent to some. It's just that you haven't really read about the whole thing. This, I'm sure, is because most Polish sources (and Western, too, if they're based on Polish analyses) usually take Poland's political situation in the 19th century for granted and don't bother spending that much time explaining it.
And that situation was that, well, there was no Poland. Or rather, there was no sovereign Polish state, as ever since the late 18th century the lands of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine were occupied by the _three partitioners_ -- the Russian, Austrian and German Empire (formerly Prussia). Most art pieces and literature of the time were therefore devoted to showcasing one or more of three things:
> Things used to be amazing and we squandered it.
> Things are bad now and we have to do something about it (often implying another pointless uprising with close to zero chance of success).
> Things could be amazing again, and isn't that brilliant that the possibilities are there?
_Stańczyk_ is one of those pieces, indeed it's very deliberate in its implications.
Let's look at point 1. In the 16th century, there was a period widely known as the Golden Age of the Commonwealth, one where culturally, economically and militarily Poland-Lithuania was more influential and/or more powerful than all of its Eastern European neighbours. Despite what some Poles would like others to think, this was a very short period of time and was quickly replaced by the "century of war", when the Polish-Lithuanian state was almost constantly in conflict (external and internal alike) and close to dissolution in the 1600s. The Golden Age also technically did not begin until 1569, when the Commonwealth was formed, but the reign of the last Jagiellonian kings (Sigismund I and II) in the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania was generally considered to be a cultural golden age as well.
I think it's somewhat obvious where I'm going with this now. Let's look at the background of the painting again -- Queen Bona's ball. This implies, as you say, that the nobility and political elites aren't at all interested in the fall of Smolensk, preferring to party away late into the night. The Polish nobility's complacency, incompetence, greed and constant tendency to fight among themselves are frequently given causes to the fall of the Commonwealth, which by Poles is often erroneously viewed as simply Poland. Then there is the comet signifying terrible events, as they were so often believed to do. And finally, the fall of Smolensk itself -- here depicted as the first of many events that would lead to the loss of independence of the (then debatably in existence) Polish nation.
Then there is Stańczyk himself. And while it was true that he was a very intelligent man, he was more than that. In many a royal court, the jester was not there to simply entertain the courtiers; rather they would give the bad news and offer political commentary, seemingly in jest, so that the monarch (who are often very fickle things) doesn't get too angry. This requires a level of intelligence and political foresight that causes Stańczyk to see the bigger picture -- it's not just some significant border fortress that was lost, it's the beginning of something so much more grave.
And since Poles did not have a country to their name when the painting was created, and loved to fantasise about getting one some day, this resonated with people. The reason it still does, besides the truly depressing mood and composition, is probably some outdated sense of Polish martyrology that still lingers even in our school curriculum.
Then there's point two, and this is just my interpretation. Stańczyk is given Matejko's face. This, I think, is significant. Just as the jester has to deliver the news of a major defeat that could spell doom to the country's integrity (though historically it didn't, but when was history not manipulated for agenda's sake), Matejko seems to be delivering the news to the occupied Polish people: things don't seem to be getting better anytime soon. And indeed they wouldn't. So one has to wonder, as Stańczyk would urge king Sigismund the Old to action against the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, was Matejko not urging the nation to action against the Empire of Russia?
As I said already, from the modern perspective of anyone who isn't Polish, this probably won't resonate. Hell, it never had even with me, but I have my own (traitorous to some) views on this distnctly Polish interpretation of history. But I do believe learning the context, despite not adding much to your experience, is important to understand the painting's significance to the culture that bore it, and understanding why Matejko painted at all.
Good analysis, now you made me curious about your hot takes doe
I didn't even notice the ball going on for years, but I understood the context subconsciously.
The reason it resonates with people is because we are seeing the same things happening again, and it's depressing. You can understand his grief and helplessness at the situation.
Thanks for sharing this context Mateusz, it did add to my experience. I’ve seen this painting before and it resonates with me on a deep level, but I never knew the story behind it. I do agree that the context doesn’t add much to the experience of the painting, but as someone interested in early modern European history I enjoyed reading about polish attitudes and over optimism in the mid 1500s
@@krinkrin5982 it may resonate with people today even more than when it was painted. Today we’re able to see most of what is going on in society whenever we want, yet are generally powerless to do anything about it. We’re all able to criticize the king and make our opinions known, so we all take the role of the jester.
Yes, the grief isn't really for the loss of Smoleńsk but for Poland itself. This is still the height of power for Poland and Lithuania - the golden age - but the first signs of the fall of the Kingdom are there and the the audience - both when Matejko painted it and us now knows what happens next so the knowledge of impending doom adds to the sadness.
this painting always meant for me every one of us smiling and making people laugh but have a deep sadness inside us that only shows when we are alone.
I really like when someone talks about things from my culture and is foregin to it. Love how you actully tried to pronounce it and did great
I had a chance to see this painting (or reprint that was almost identical) in a Polish Embassy. This is only a glimpse into how rich Polish art history is!
hahah, Of course it's reprint.
I’d never heard of this painting before but I found it so compelling. And your analysis of this painting and many of your other analyses are so informative! You go into such great detail with your takes it’s inspiring! I’m so happy to have stumbled across your channel!
It’s cliché but I still think the sadness comes from his face and especially his eyes. It just shows a hidden despair ,eternal melancholy , the juxtaposition of the suit he’s wearing and his true emotion can make anyone feel his pessimism
Jan Matejko is probably the most important painter in polish history and as a Pole I must say that for me historical context is exactly what made his paintings so special for us. Stanczyk is sad because he loved his country and was afraid for it. He was often referred to by writers and other artist (f.e. "Wesele" S. Wyspiański) as a symbol of wisdom.
One thing about this which now makes sense to me after hearing the backstory - he looks like a King on a throne. When I was a little kid I genuinely thought this was supposed to be King Verence II of Lancre, a fictional Fool-turned-King from a series of books I was fond of.
I never thought a painting could show more emotion rather seeing the jester alone at face value. The attention to detail to both historical context and the elements of the painting really shows the mixed emotions and conveys the thought of the jester.
its the depression in the body that does it for me.
the slack of the legs just wanting to melt into the floor as if the chair is just in the way of a process, the hands held together limply contemplating everything thats going on, the far off look as he stares down into the floor completing the "were all going to die here and not a thing will stop it" look.
all wrapped up in the silly little jester outfit, the job where happy is the end goal, and he looks utterly defeated.
its sorrow captured perfectly.
I'd say the historic context of the painting *does* add to it, you just didn't get enough of it (which is understandable, the painting doesn't seem like the kind to require a decent understanding of renaissance/baroque era Poland's politics to understand).
Stańczyk was there at a time when Poland's problems were starting to show up but didn't yet boil over into the 18th-century disaster that caused it to fall off Europe's maps. The kings bought nobility's favor with privileges, magnates bought lesser nobles to ensure the status quo wouldn't change, etc. He was seeing these things unfold, mocking and criticizing them, to no avail.
In a way, I see Matejko putting his own face on Stańczyk as a sort of parallel between how the two of them saw these events. The jester was looking into the future with worry about Poland's coming downfall. The painter was wistfully looking into the past, lamenting the events that caused his nation to lose its' homeland.
The painter was also looking at his present. A strong message of "You guys haven't learned! We're 200+ years later and you're still doing the same exact shit!"
Remember, there had been and were, at the time this was made, attempts to free/reunify Poland. Most were doomed more by leadership squabbles and diverging personal interests than anything intrinsic to the cause. Not all, obviously, but enough that I'm sure there was a degree of "You guys are repeating the exact same mistakes that got us here in the first place!" felt by many.
@@trianglemoebius Eh i got what you are saying buts it not really true
The situation of Poland in the 1500's isnt comparable to the 1800's, the problem for Poland back then was the gradual rise of the nobles and being bribed by foreign nations, and the collapse of royal authority, the 1800's was when Poland didnt even exist, so i wouldnt say its like "they are still doing the same thing" because they cant
And the thing that doomed the Polish uprisings wasnt leadership squabbles, it was that they were fighting an up hill battle with little foreign support
Great analysis. I’ve seen this painting several times online. I appreciate the background and explanation, but you’re right. I like the painting for its mystique and as a performer, I guess I felt like I could relate to it. I think you hit the nail on the head
The part that the painter was his own model makes it even sadder, its a selfpotrait were himself doesn't even apear.
The fact that when u get far from the picture , the whole area of eye looks dark then when you get close u can see how thoughtful and focused are
I wish your channel were around when I was taking art history class
I think knowing its modeled after himself makes it sader and makes me „appreciate“ it more.
This video kept popping up as a suggestion and today I finally gave into it and watched it. Rather interesting video and I’ve see the artwork before, but was unsure if it’s background until now.
I personally find it more poignant when the cause of the jester's mood remained a mystery, but I can see how knowing the context can give it more weight to some.
Actually the author of the video didn't include the whole historical context. He didn't do enough research in my opinion.
The historical context is much more than the times of Stańczyk but when the painting was made. It's XIX century when Poland didn't exist on maps due to nobility's stupidity and moral fall who sold their country and let it be parted. The noblemen who are celebrating in the background are celebrating the fall of their country and Stańczyk knows it. Stańczyk understands we were the reason why we lost our independence and it just shows the tragedy of the fall of their country and losing freedom. While most of Matejko's pictures were meant to give people hope and show Poland's best times, this one is completely different because it shows the reason behind us losing independence - our own mistakes. The historical context of the times when the picture was made is more important than history in the picture.
Stańczyk is not a patriot who sees his country's decadence but who already saw its fall which was unavoidable due to our mistakes.
There is ONE MORE layer to this. In Cracow, at the time when Matejko lived, conservative circles were called "Stańczycy" after figure of "Stańczyk". He, portraiting himself as sad Stańczyk with party in another room can be seen as comment about this group - they were accused by polish revolutionaries of being "impotent" and that they can't do anything for polish nation, which was, at that time, under partitions.
I always liked this painting. But I never knew the history behind it. Thankyou!
I like knowing the full story. In my eyes, it makes him relatable, rather than some enigma whose humanity evades us. Sure, we could relate to the sad clown figure in itself, but with less detail he's more of a general symbol than a human with a story. I think the details especially important as we seem to have a tendency to view past generations such as Stanczyk's as no more than, well, history. Knowing these stories helps us realize that the people of the past weren't actually that different from us.
I had this painting as my background on my laptop for ages in high school and it's still the unlock screen. It spoke to me in high school, and the greater historical context just drives that feeling home for me. Being funny can be a depressing job.
“For exaple” 0:51
I would really like to thank you and the people behind this channel. I've been mesmerised by the passion and work behind this incredible content, which I've literally been devouring since I've discovered it.
That is incredibly sweet! I'm the only person behind this channel, so your comment means a great deal to me!
Thank you so much!!
The fact that this is a one man job makes it even more impressive!
@@TheCanvasArtHistory I know that to ones who knows little about Polish culture it seem like yet another nation fighting to preserve religion. But it is also about language. Polish is vary a lot from Russian. Also Poland had more freedoms than Russia. And Noble democracy was almost perfect system. Almost because it excluded voice of peasants and it was what led to its fall. Not Liberum Veto as many arugue. Because think about it majority is always wrong because majority of population is stupid. Wisdom recquire thinking and experiencing hardships and we know that little are that courageous. And when majority agrees on something then opposition sabotage their plans because they were not included in decisions. And when all agree then honour makes them fullfill promises. That is how it was for a long time. But since peasants were excluded they were exploited more & more. It even worsened when magnats (extremally wealthy nobles) accumulated capital. They were bribing very poor nobles to veto decisions that were not in accordance with their selfish interests. And occupant countries were bribing magnats.
PS- If recommend you watching Lera Boroditsky's Ted Ex "How language shapes the way we think".
I have a hoodie with this art on it, didn't know the story but made me stop and look at it. I immediately bought it
I am so so happy I found your channel, I'm grateful for your work, please, keep going! I'd love to see more Polish painters too! I feel like sometimes they can go overlooked or people only see the historical ones. I'd love to see a video on The Strange Garden by Jósef Mehoffer.
Thank you so much Juna! I will definitely take a look at it! Thanks for the amazing comment!
I think that the important thing with depressing art is that it's normally more important to the artist, than the audience. When you convey your thoughts and feelings in drawings rather than words, your audience can feel your feelings in a more contextual way. Seeing the history of why these visuals are in paintings like these gives you a sense of how it must have felt to be in the artists shoes, and in a sense feel the emotions he was feeling.
This video made me cry. When you explain the clown paradox and how the Jester in the painting is turning his back away but it’s his job. A tear poured out of my left eye because how very relatable it was to myself. I wanted to find this one self reflection but I find it
This picture breaks my heart due to the historical context, in my opinion it would be a crime against Polishness if the reason for its sadness were not known.
And you did not add that Smolensk is a *very important* strategically located city - a stronghold in the dry passage between two great rivers separating the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia.
Stańczyk is Melancholic after reading a letter that announces the loss of Smolensk from Grand Duchy of Lithuania. There was no Commonwealth in 1514 or 1533. It formed in 1569.
@@zonako123 Yes, but painting was done to remind Poles of how great strategic loss was the loss of polish part of area of Smolensk Gate in first partition of PLC on example from their past.
Plus the two countries were already under personal union for ~100 years. The loss of Lithuania was the loss of Poland, and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was already the practical state of things before the documents were formally signed - of course barring differences in government, though not as big as one might think. Poland had a history of nobles' councils starting sometime in late medieval period. The nobles' democracy wasn't invented overnight, either.
As a Lithuanian it hurts when the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth just gets called “Poland”, feels like our contributions just gets pushed aside or erased from history. Even tho that letter their says Samogitia (region of Lithuania) and that Smolensk was part of the GDL
As a pole this also bothers me.
The time of the events in the painting was before Commonwealth. Also maybe you should care more about how Lithuania treats it's Polish citizens these days.
@@jedenzet as being a part of the Lithuanian minority in Poland you guys also treated us terribly where our language has been wiped out of most areas except a few towns. But relations have gotten much better in the past two decades. And as for the poles in Lithuania, that’s a complicated issue, but there hasn’t been real oppression there since post 1920’s, it’s not a crime to go to school and learn your countries language, along with theirs…but for the most part the problem is politically, they’re just stubborn people who still seem to act like they’re in the Soviet Union, and have relations with Russia which everyone knows is a big no no in Eastern Europe. Poland poles would not get along with Poles in Lithuania.
@@Comrade_Marius I'm sorry you experienced that in Poland. I love my country but hate the way it treats everyone who is not a 'typical Pole'. Although the situation is heartbreaking, at least I hope that the increase of Ukrainian people now will change that a little bit and we will start to open up to other cultures and languages. People are scared that polish culture will disappear but it's not the case. Most people just want to live in peace, not conflict. All the ignorance and hate towards each other always causes wars, disasters, and suffering. I watch all the things happening in Poland and I feel like Stanczyk myself, no joke
@@AstroHierarchy
" I'm sorry you experienced that in Poland"
I think he is talking about history, tbh.
This is hands down my favorite channel on RUclips
Thank you so much!
Your video half a year ago inspired me to go to Warsaw to see this drawing live. In the hall of Jan Matejko were his paintings and those of his students. Since that day, Jan Matejko has become one of my favorite artists. So thanks a lot for the video.
Most of Matejko's paintings were supposed to reflect the history of Poland in general. He was a historian painter, the person who's depiction polish ruler's appearance comes to mind when we think of them. All the scenes in his paintings are full of emotions that were following the painted event. So the loss of Smoleńsk being an impactful event on polish history was depicted in such a sad matter. For me (a pole and a huge history enjoyer) I find this painting even more powerful, because I didn't know about the context. Despite my diferent opinions about this painting, great video!
This painting reminds me of a novel named “Steppenwolf” by Herman Hesse, one of my personal favorites which I connect deeply to.
I always saw this in the Denver Art Museum growing up and I always thought it was a about the death of a family member for some reason, but I was still curious about it anyways, this video was fascinating and makes me appreciate it more. I think I'll go back to the art museum again soon.
In addition to what you mentioned, my first automatic impression of the darkness and red/fire like colors was as almost "hellish". So I think it captures a strong idea of condemnation and hopeless fate. (maybe of the author, the Polish nation, or even all of humanity).
The historical context adds so much depth. A man whose about to lose his home and way of life while his royalty drinks themselves into a stupor around the corner. Such dread he must feel.
Seeing as how Matejko's self portrait is him much older than 24, I'd say he modeled his self portrait after Stańczyk. Melancholy in reminiscence of a younger self can lead to the sad clown paradox in entertainers, and Matejko himself was not immune.
I love this piece because not only did it have an interpretation years ago but it also has a different one now. A work of art that can have multiple meanings is timeless in my opinion
Learning about it more didn’t improve your appreciation because it’s a perfect self-insert painting. Literally from the artists perspective, but also from our perspective, as evidenced by the way the image is used in memes today.
I agree with the idea this may be a self-portrait and I think Matejko titled it so specifically to throw people off.
This channel is underated and I'm highly appreciative this video popped up on my recommend videos.
I just love how you explain all the history and context! Great video 👏😊
Thank you so much!!
I remember my parents having this painting when I was a child and having them take it down because I thought it was scary.
He was only 24 when he painted it? What a tremendously talented painter. Sad that no current artist could do half as good a job at the end of their career.
I can lean you on a little fact about aritsts from the past - a lot of them olny ever worked as artists, and they did it form very young age. They usualy started around 10-12 years old, and most of their education revolved around painting. And if most of your time is spend at just one specific thing, then you become very good at it.
And it made sense back in the day to make thouse type of artists, becouse there was no photography, the olny way for someone to have a picture of themself was to hire a painter. Today we don't have this need, so we don't have a market for it. Becouse of that you won't see as many people making paintings like this, they need to make money of something and oli paintings won't help you pay the rent now a days. So insted focusing their time on one specific skill they branch off, and when you do that you're sacrificeing the time and recources that could help you to delelop this level of skill
Hope this helps
@@Aliens420 Yeah, while there is no denying he was a master of his craft, it was mostly thanks to the fact that they did nothing else with his time.
Honestly I think it's a good thing that people don't draw so realistically as then. To me it just shows that they're having fun with art instead of worrying if it's realistic enough
This painting reminds me of a scene VII "salon warszawski" from Adam Mickiewicz's Dziady cz. III. In the scene polish nobles were partying. They didn't care about Poland and were only interested in having fun. There were only few people standing on a side that were conserned about their country's future.
The point of the jester was to satirize politics. When even the jester cannot find something to make light of, that shows how bad the situation has gotten