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The Dwarf Morgante Riding on a Dragon
(18th and 19th Centuries )
The dwarf Morgante was Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo de' Medici's jester. Dwarfs were commonly employed at courts, where they were looked upon as marvels of nature and, in the case of a jester, were expected to entertain and amuse.
Here, Morgante sits on a dragon that imitates one crafted by Cencio della Nera, the duke's goldsmith. The dwarf raises his hand to still the waters in a gesture that parodies representations of Neptune, the Roman god of the ocean. This fountain ornament is a copy of a bronze by Giovanni da Bologna installed between 1583 and 1585 in the garden terrace above the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 1957 | Fontinalia: The Art of the Fountain and the Fountain in Art. Spencer Museum of Art, Lawrence. |
| 1948 | Art of Europe XVI-XVII. Worcester Art Museum, Worcester. |
Geographies
France, Paris (Place of Origin)
Measurements
11 7/16 x 22 11/16 in. (29 x 57.7 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.719