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The Portrait of Sebastián de Morra is a painting done 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 located at the Prado in Madrid.[1] 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.[2] Court dwarfs were portrayed as insignificant beings sometimes lower than animals.[3] It wasn't until Velázquez became a court painter that he showed dwarfs with a warmer and naturalistic style compared to previous paintings.[4] 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.[5] However, recently discovered inventories and previous documents relating to De Morra reveal that it could be known by a different name, El Primo.[6]
Portrait of Sebastián de Morra | |
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![]() Sebastian De Morra sitting on the ground against a plain background gives the portrait a psychoanalysis of De Morra's resentment of his own nature. | |
Artist | Diego Velázquez |
Year | c. 1644 |
Medium | Oil on canvas |
Dimensions | 106.5 cm × 81.5 cm (41.9 in × 32.1 in) |
Location | Museo del Prado, Madrid |