Monkey Mr Nilsson

Monkey Mr Nilsson

Herr Nilsson is already dressed for the occasion. The occasion itself is less important. In his top hat and patterned coat, he advances with the purposeful air of someone expected at the front of a parade. The two smaller versions come off the leash; the largest sits on a shoulder, where he can supervise events at eye level.Each Herr Nilsson is cast, released, trimmed and sanded by hand. His coat is built up in layers of green, red and blue, with curling ornament and black-and-white details drawn freehand around the body. The hat is finished separately, and the face is painted to preserve the same alert expression at every size. The pattern shifts with the brush, so no two Herr Nilssons are identical.The smaller characters sit well on a shelf, desk or hallway console. The shoulder version belongs wherever its owner does, although he gives every appearance of believing the arrangement works the other way round. Place him beside books, plants or collected objects, with enough space for the tail and costume to remain visible. He does not need a carnival. Given a room and an audience, he can organise one himself.