Dwarf (one of three)

This porcelain dwarf was created by the Doccia Porcelain Manufactory in Italy sometime between 1737 and 1896. He is one of three, and the group would likely have been placed on a table as ornamentation for an aristocratic dinner party. These figurines provide insight into the social mores of the time. The tradition of employing dwarves as domestic servants or court jesters dates back to the medieval period. By the eighteenth century, it was becoming less acceptable, yet such characters remained a source of fascination and amusement, as we can see here. The Doccia Manufactory was founded in 1737 by Marchese Carlo Ginori near Florence. Ginori aimed to produce porcelain that could compete with the wares of other European manufacturers. As historians, we can look to a range of sources such as court documents, medical records, and popular literature to understand how people with dwarfism were perceived and treated in eighteenth-century Europe. Such research helps us to understand the complex relationship between art, society, and the representation of marginalized groups.