Dwarf At Dulwich

As regular readers will know, the Dulwich Picture Gallery is celebrating its bicentenary this year by showing a masterpiece a month borrowed from some of the world's greatest art galleries and museums. For the shortest month of the year it has chosen to display a portrait of a dwarf: El bufón Don Sebastián de Morra (c. 1646) by Velázquez, borrowed from Spain's Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid. El bufón (the buffoon) was what we would term "court jester" to the court of King Philip IV of Spain. He was first employed as jester and servant by Philip IV’s brother, the Cardinal-Infante Don Fernando. Later he entered the service of the King’s heir, Prince Baltasar Carlos, who beqeathed him a small silver sword which I assume was part of the apparel of a young prince, a noble gift. By seating Don Sebastián for his portrait, Velázquez distracts us from the shortness of his legs, but without hiding them, and confronts us with the man. The result is a deeply psychological portrait.