drollery
drollery
Noun
pl: drolleries
This term describes a specific brand of humor that is dry, quirky, and slightly eccentric. It suggests a playful oddity rather than a loud or obvious joke, often evoking a sense of understated irony or a whimsical surprise that catches the observer off guard.
In an art historical context, the word refers to the marginalia of medieval texts. These grotesque or fanciful figures serve as a visual counterpoint to the solemnity of the main text, blending the sacred with the absurd through intricate, often surreal imagery.