Folklore Statues

Folklore Statues

Let's begin with The Monkeys' Fountain in Ouchy (nr Lausanne) CH.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_wise_monkeys ... the origin is Japanese?

I always thought that this trope began with Moe, Larry & Curly

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Here's the Japanese carving of the Three Monkeys (Sanzaru) that popularized the proverb, on the Sacred Stable at Nikko Toshogu Shrine, dating from 1636. I bought this postcard when I was there in 2009.




Speaking of monkeys, here's the Eulenspiegelbrunnen (Eulenspiegel Fountain) in Braunschweig, Germany. Till Eulenspiegel was a legendary prankster, who is supposed to have been born around 1300 in Kneitlingen, near Braunschweig. Surrounding the fountain are figures of owls and monkeys, alluding to a story in which Eulenspiegel posed as a baker's apprentice in Braunschweig.

A bit of a s-t-r-e-t-c-h, but what topic does not need a little s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g now & again?




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ricketts

If I understand correctly, this is a clay statue of the remains of a tree, after a forest fire, that was then carved into a statue.







Edited to add: Anybody else notice the unusual deckling on this card? Not the usual continuous rouletting.

Here's an older (1907) postcard of the Three Monkeys at Nikko. Uncle Louis writes from Yokohama to his niece Frieda in Chicago: "Behold the 3 monkeys. 1 holds his hands over his eyes: he sees no evil. The other over his ears, he hears no evil & the 3d over his mouth & he speaks no evil. Always follow their principle & the profession will do well."