Two Dwarfs Playing Dice, a Dog at Left (recto), Study of a Leg (verso) 1659 - 1742

This pen and brown ink drawing was created in the early 18th century by Faustino Bocchi. Bocchi was known for his unique genre scenes depicting dwarfs engaged in various activities, a style that reflects the cultural fascination with the grotesque during the late Baroque period. These images weren’t mere flights of fancy; rather, they reflected the presence of people with dwarfism in courtly life, often employed as entertainers, or curiosities. Bocchi’s drawings, however, do more than document their existence. Look at the expressions on their faces as they play this game. Are they embodiments of humanity in unconventional forms? Or is there something more troubling here? Bocchi’s decision to focus almost exclusively on dwarfs challenges the conventional aesthetic standards of the time and prompts questions about beauty, normalcy, and the social roles assigned to those who exist outside the mainstream. Ultimately, this drawing is an unsettling mirror reflecting society's complex relationship with otherness. It invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in representation.