Who painted Illustrations for "Peronnik the Fool"?

Illustrations for "Peronnik the Fool" was painted by Stephen Gooden in 1933.

Where can I see Illustrations for "Peronnik the Fool"?

Illustrations for "Peronnik the Fool" is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

Artwork

Illustrations for "Peronnik the Fool"

Stephen Gooden , 1933

Illustrations for "Peronnik the Fool" 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

This image shows a book cover with a simple black-and-white drawing of a jester’s hat and cane crossed like a staff.

This image shows a book cover with a simple black-and-white drawing of a jester’s hat and cane crossed like a staff. The text above reads *Peronnik the Fool* by George Moore, with engravings credited to Stephen Gooden. The bottom lists London and the publisher, George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., along with the year 1933.

The crossed cane and hat are a classic symbol for a fool—often used to show cleverness hiding behind silliness. The clean lines and lack of color make it feel like an old-fashioned print.

Look up Stephen Gooden next to see more of his engraving work.

Overview

Illustrations for *Peronnik the Fool* is a 1933 print by British engraver Stephen Gooden. The work functions as the decorative frontispiece for George Moore’s edition of the medieval tale, and it is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s print collection.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a stylised jester’s hat and a staff crossed in an X‑shape, a conventional emblem of the fool. By pairing the hat with a cane, Gooden alludes to the paradox of wit concealed beneath apparent folly, echoing the narrative’s themes of trickery and insight.

Technique & Style

Executed in black‑and‑white, the image relies on clean, precise lines typical of early twentieth‑century engraving. The absence of colour accentuates the graphic quality of the design, while the crisp cross‑hatching conveys a sense of antiquarian simplicity reminiscent of medieval woodcuts.

History & Provenance

The illustration was printed for the London publisher George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. in 1933, accompanying Moore’s text. It later entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings, where it remains catalogued as an example of Gooden’s commercial engraving work.