Artwork

Illustration for "Peronnik the Fool": Redemonde on the Staircase

Stephen Gooden , 1933

Illustration for "Peronnik the Fool": Redemonde on the Staircase is a print by Stephen Gooden. It dates from 1933 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Stephen Gooden’s 1933 print, titled Illustration for “Peronnik the Fool”: Redemonde on the Staircase, is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection.

Stephen Gooden’s 1933 print, titled Illustration for “Peronnik the Fool”: Redemonde on the Staircase, is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. Executed as an etching, the work portrays a solitary woman in a flowing gown positioned on a grand staircase, reaching toward an arched doorway that contains a faint, seated figure. The composition balances architectural detail with a quiet, narrative moment.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, a woman poised on the steps, appears to be in a moment of hesitation as she extends her hand toward the doorway’s interior. The faint presence within the arch suggests a hidden or unseen element, perhaps alluding to the story of Peronnik the Fool, where the protagonist encounters enigmatic figures on a journey of self‑discovery.

Technique & Style

Gooden employs a chiaroscuro effect, using delicate gradations of light and shadow to model the woman’s face and the surrounding architecture. The etching’s line work renders ornate carvings on the walls and a curving stone railing, while the soft illumination creates a sense of depth, giving the scene a three‑dimensional quality despite its two‑dimensional medium.

History & Provenance

Created in 1933, the print was produced as an illustration for the literary work “Peronnik the Fool.” It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific donor or purchase details are not recorded in the available source). The museum continues to display the piece as an example of early‑20th‑century illustrative printmaking.