Twee dwergen en twee studies van hond en kop van leeuw 1751 - 1755

Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo created this etching, “Two Dwarfs and Two Studies of a Dog and Lion Head,” in eighteenth-century Venice. Here, the artist populates his composition with figures of dwarfs in elaborate costumes, common features of courtly entertainment since the Renaissance. But Tiepolo presents these figures not as objects of spectacle, but as studies, much like his naturalistic renderings of dogs and a lion. Consider how Venice, during this period, was marked by a rigid social hierarchy, with the aristocracy enjoying immense wealth and power, in contrast to the working class and those with physical differences, who were often marginalized. Tiepolo's decision to depict dwarfs alongside studies of animals challenges this hierarchy. His juxtaposition suggests a leveling of social status and a critique of institutionalized discrimination. To fully appreciate Tiepolo’s work, we can consult period documents, social histories, and art criticism, all of which help us contextualize the social and political implications of his art.