Laughter in the service of the "ridiculous": The example of Velázquez

Authors

  • Antonia Morel D'Arleux Université Paris VIII, Francia

Keywords:

Ridicolous, physiognomy, mock, laughter, sayings, Velázquez, still lifes, grotesque portraits

Abstract

The aesthetics of the "ridiculous" in Baroque painting meant a break with the normative codes of classical beauty. The aim was to reproduce human nature in all its decomposed and monstrous aspects, following Italian and Flemish physiognomic theories. There was a proliferation of characters "who laugh and make people laugh": dwarfs, drunks, rustics, fools and rogues. These individuals are the alter egos of the nobles and courtiers, reflecting the carnivalesque and festive tradition that places mockery at the centre of social and cultural representations. In his still lifes and portraits, Velasquez seems to follow a Quvedesque dynamic based on paremies and eponyms, commonplaces of popular language, enriching the grotesque image with a cultural background.

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Published

2005-10-02

How to Cite

Morel D’Arleux, Antonia. 2005. “Laughter in the Service of the ‘ridiculous’: The Example of Velázquez”. Atrio. Revista De Historia Del Arte, no. 10-11 (October). Sevilla, España:65-76. https://upo.es/revistas/index.php/atrio/article/view/298.

Issue

Section

Articles