The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 23, 2024
Monkey Preaching to Turkeys
second half of 18th century
circle of Christophe Huet
(French, 1700–1759)
Sheet: 32.2 x 39.6 cm (12 11/16 x 15 9/16 in.)
Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2017.215
Location: not on view
Description
This work belongs to a genre of imagery called singerie, which depicts monkeys dressed in human clothes parodying the actions of people. Here, a monkey preaches to a flock of turkeys from a wicker basket pulpit hanging from a tree. The turkeys, interpreted as symbols of foolishness, are deceived by the cunning primate in the disguise of a monk’s habit.- {{cite web|title=Monkey Preaching to Turkeys|url=false|author=Christophe Huet|year=second half of 18th century|access-date=23 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2017.215