Histoire de la caricature au moyen âge et sous la renaissance

Delving into the overlooked world of medieval satire, this study traces how artists embedded humor and critique into stone façades, illuminated manuscripts, and early prints long before modern newspapers claimed the genre. By examining grotesque reliefs on cathedrals, marginal drawings in 13th‑century codices, and the playful motifs of the Roman de Fauvel, the author shows how caricature functioned as a mirror of contemporary attitudes, politics, and everyday life. The narrative unfolds with vivid descriptions of specific examples, inviting listeners to picture the sly grin of a stone gargoyle or the mischievous ink swirl beside a theological text.

Combining archaeological observation with art‑historical analysis, the work balances careful visual comparison against the swirl of symbolic interpretation that has long clouded the field. The author navigates debates between classicists, antiquarians, and revolutionary scholars, presenting a clear framework for reading visual jokes as cultural data rather than mere decoration. Listeners will come away with a fresh appreciation for how the medieval and Renaissance imagination used humor to question authority and reflect the human condition.