In the Kibble Palace in Glasgow is this sculpture of King Robert of Sicily, posing nude with a monkey on his lap. It's based on this kind of long poem by (appropriately enough) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called 'The Sicilian's Tale' which tells the story of an arrogant king who is impersonated by an angel and forced to become the jester in his own court, with the monkey as his only friend. It's all a cautionary tale about being humble and submissive to God etc. etc. and in the end he admits defeat, gives up trying to claim his throne, and is returned to his rightful place. That's all very well and good, but let's be perfectly honest - the sculpture is best viewed totally out of context, as a naked man with a monkey on his knee for no immediately apparent reason.
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