Portrait of the Jester Calabazas
1632
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1632
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a man in fancy clothes with a big white ruff collar. His face twists a bit—one eye higher than the other. He leans on a stick. The painting feels real, not stiff like most royal portraits. This is a jester named Calabazas from Spain. Velázquez shows his disabilities without hiding them. That was rare back then. The artist treats him like any other person, not just a funny sidekick. Look up Diego Velázquez (Spanish, 1599–1660) to see how he broke the rules.
