Oil lamp in the form of a dwarf on a donkey’s head 1525 - 1575

This bronze oil lamp was created by Andrea Briosco, called Riccio, in Padua, Italy, during the Renaissance. Looking closely, we see that the lamp takes the form of a dwarf riding the head of a donkey. The figure reclines in a drunken stupor, while the donkey grimaces, revealing its teeth. Combining the imagery of classical antiquity with the everyday is typical of the art produced in Padua at this time. The University of Padua was at the center of humanist scholarship in the Veneto and it fostered the study of ancient literature, history, and philosophy. Many artists, like Riccio, took inspiration from this renewed interest in the classical world. However, rather than simply copying ancient forms, the Paduan bronzes were also interested in the grotesque, and they often referenced popular festivals. To understand the meaning of this image more fully, historians consult a wide range of sources, including university archives, festival ephemera, and literary texts. What we see here is a culture that valued the classical past, but also found ways to subvert it.