Bufón Francisco Bazán 1684

Juan Carreno de Miranda painted "Bufón Francisco Bazán" in the 17th century. The figure holds a folded paper, a symbol laden with historical weight, more than mere correspondence. Since antiquity, documents held in hand represent authority and truth, whether decrees from emperors or sacred scriptures. Recall the countless depictions of saints bearing books, emblems of divine wisdom. But here, the paper seems almost discarded. The fool's melancholic gaze hints at a deeper, more complex meaning. The letter, perhaps a script for jest, now symbolizes the fool’s own alienation. This resonates across time. Consider how this motif reappears in modern theater, where props, like Bazán’s letter, reveal the character's internal state. The folded paper, transformed, carries the weight of existential reflection. It reminds us that symbols are not static, but evolve, shaped by collective memory and individual experience.