Stanczyk or the Sad Clown Paradox

Jan Matejko's 1862 Stańczyk is very emotionally charged. It's a pretty simple scene: A sad jester, alone in a dark room. Why is he sad? Can a jester, or a clown, be sad, knowing that their job is to spread happiness? In this video, we'll be talking about this painting, its historical context, the Sad Clown paradox, Edward Hopper's Soir Bleu, Todd Phillips' Joker...

[GLeviathan]

“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

[filrostix]

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.

[whiteobama]

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.

[pigcatapult]

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.

[co]

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.

[chad_bee_]

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.

[fiddleriddlediddlediddle]

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.

[zyourzgrandzmaz]

"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.”

[m.i]

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.

[Michal]

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.

[voiasemaciasss]

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.

[astranix]

This can also be interpreted as: "How can I bring up the bad news without killing the mood?"

[Triple_G_YT]

I think this is the only piece of art in which I ever connected to so deeply,

[blorblol]

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.

[ly]

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

[naishjam]

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.

[FudgeYeahAmerica]

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

[thxy]

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.

[anonymouschantroll]

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.

[michalkropkatxt]

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.