Portrait of England's 'last professional jester' brings major competition
This 18th century English provincial school full-length portrait depicts the jester Black John. He was in the employ of the famously eccentric John Arscott (1718-88) of the Tetcott estate in Devon, said to be the last man in England to keep a professional jester.
Black John, who had dwarfism and was under 4ft in height, was famous for his after-dinner tricks t…