The Dwarf, Sebastián de Morra, at the Court of Felipe IV

The Portrait of Sebastián de Morra is a painting by Diego Velázquez of Sebastian de Morra, a court dwarf and jester at the court of Philip IV of Spain. It was painted around 1644 and is now in the Prado in Madrid. Not much is documented about De Morra's life, other than the fact that he was brought to Spain by Phillip IV in 1643 and served the court for three years before his death in 1649. It wasn't until Velázquez became a court painter that he showed dwarfs with a warmer and naturalistic style compared to previous paintings. De Morra looks directly at the viewer, motionless, making no hand gestures, leading one critic to suggest that the painting represents a denunciation of the court's treatment of de Morra and other dwarfs. However, recently discovered inventories and previous documents relating to De Morra reveal that it could be known by a different name, El Primo. Known as sabandijas, 'little serpents', court jester dwarfs were employed by kings as far back as the medieval period. Being either born with a deformity or deformed on purpose at the time of birth, court jesters became slaves to the royal court and family. Because they were seen as entertainment, dwarfs were no longer painted as symbolic figures and instead with a realistic style. Since dwarfs were so prominent in court life, they were also included in paintings with multiple figures Previous Spanish court painters before Velázquez painted dwarfs with coldness carelessness, since dwarfs were seen as human pets. Dwarfs were also painted with extreme stiffness and disdain for them was also visible in their portraits. Court dwarfs were portrayed in paintings as the property of their masters, being summoned back and forth at their master's request. Typically, dwarfs were painted as being obedient and as under the ownership of their masters by placing their hands on the dwarf's head. Dwarfs were seen as only one class higher than animals status-wise. Dwarfs were often painted holding an animal of some kind when with their masters. However, dwarfs with artistic or literature abilities were spared from having to train and play with animals. Art historian Enriqueta Harris stated that Velázquez's paintings of dwarfs did not belong in the same space as classical paintings that he had done as well. However, Catherine Closet-Crane, author of a critical essay about Velázquez's dwarf portraits, states that the portraits were in fact meant to be seen with other Velázquez portraits. She even discusses that the portraits could also be seen alongside some of Ruben's portraits, such as of philosophers Democritus and Heraclitus. Dwarfs were commonly painted from the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries, but their prominence in art declined afterwards. Diego Velázquez's decency was one of his most well known characteristics, which was illustrated in his portraits of dwarfs and fools. Contrary to common Spanish criticism, Velázquez painted dwarfs because he felt there was beauty in painting truth, not simply to capture ugliness. Instead of depicting dwarfs as simple deformed entertainers, Velázquez showed dwarfs with humanity that at times surpassed other men of the court. Velazquez showed his sympathy for court jesters in his paintings/studies after being surrounded by dwarfs for years on while employed by the royal court. Velázquez painted dwarfs with the same humanity that he did for the royal family in order to wanted to show that dwarfs were no less as human beings. However, while Velázquez's naturalistic and charitable depictions of the invalids and dwarfs maintained by the court strongly suggests he, as court painter, felt some empathy with their situation, the painter's opinions are never specifically stated in any documented fashion. As slaves to the royal court though, Velázquez took it upon himself to illustrate how court jesters felt and were seen as to the rest of the world. Velázquez's closer than otherwise normal studies of court jesters are concluded as a result of his admiration of their jokes and humor.