June 6 – August 9
A Touch of Humor
Adolf Dehn, Great God Pan, 1940, color silk screen. Gift of Andrew and Andrea Lowe
Philibert-Louis Debucourt, Le Coup de Vent, after C. Vernet, 1816, color etching and aquatint explores the complex nature of humor. What amuses us? What roles do age, geography, cultural upbringing and personal experiences play in appreciating humor? While the exhibition includes works from the 19th century, it is the 20th century, particularly in American art, that encompasses a broad range of humorous expression. Adolf Dehn (1895-1968) is represented by several works, including his well-known satire of the “scandalous” 1912 painting
September Morn. John Sloan’s
Reducing (1916) parodies the intentions of a young woman who exercises while her husband lies sleeping in bed. Norman Rockwell’s 1958 painting of a jockey
Weighing In is featured. It and several other works were loaned to the Benton by the New Britain Museum of American Art.
It is hoped that A Touch of Humor will lift people’s spirits during these times and confirm that laughter is, indeed, the best medicine.
June 6 – August 9
Punch & Judy: Handpuppets, Politics & Humor
George Cruikshank, illustration of a scene from Piccini’s 1827 Punch and Judy show
Punch and Judy have come to symbolize the world of puppet theater for many audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Known for their comic antics and Punch’s ever-present club, these puppets at first glance might appear to be benign and colorful entertainment for children. But a closer look at these two characters and their puppet brethren reveals a complex and often contradictory world of comedy, mayhem, sex, violence, and politics.
Punch & Judy: Handpuppets, Politics & Humor explores the world of these classic characters and related realms of handpuppets and satire. It includes Punch and Judy handpuppet sets as well as Guignol and Kasperl puppets from France and Germany, and the Punch and Judy set used by the famed creator of “queer theater,” Charles Ludlam. In addition, there are handpuppets created by Rufus Rose to satirize Connecticut politicians, which Rose created while he was a Republican State Legislator and which he performed in the Connecticut State House.
This exhibition was curated by Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry director John Bell, with graduate assistants Stefano Brancato and Joseph Therrien.
