DISABILITY IN BAROQUE PORTRAITURE: VELAZQUEZ´S JESTERS II

For the sake of contrast we will start taking one portrait by Sanchez-Coello La Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia” to illustrate the ways how Velázquez defies the conventions of the portraits of the dwarfs before Just .Sanchez-Coello, court painter of Philip II, portrayed the dwarf Magdalena Ruiz at the side of the Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia. The condescending gesture of the infant with her hand on Magdalena Ruiz’s wimple downtones her presence as a character in the Royal Court. Also her attire of Dominican noun and the pious attitude should not mislead about the nature of her functions in the court, where she served as a “guardadamas” of the daughters of the King from 1568 to 1615. The correspondence between the King and his daughters reveal that Magdalena Ruiz was honest to a fault and beloved by the infants, but also quarrelsome, fond on bullfighting, dancing and wine . But probably the most favoured jester of the whole dynasty was Miguel Soplillo, who served in the court for 44 years since 1615-1659. Brought from Flandes by Isabella Clara Eugenia to assist as “ayda de Camara” to his husband Philip III in his last seven years of life, he soon became Philip IV’s favourite jester, appearing with him in a royal portrait by Rodrigo de Villalandro in 1620

Melania Moscoso, 2009 ©