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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1632–1633 painting by Diego Velázquez}}<br />
{{Infobox Painting<br />
| title = The Jester Don John of Austria<br />
| image_file = Velázquez - El bufón llamado Don Juan de Austria (Museo del Prado, 1632).jpg<br />
| artist = [[Diego Velázquez]]<br />
| other_language_1 = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]<br />
| other_title_1 = El bufón don Juan de Austria<br />
| year = 1632–1633<br />
| movement = Baroque<br />
| medium = Oil on canvas<br />
| height_metric = 210<br />
| width_metric = 124.5<br />
| museum = {{Lang|es|[[Museo del Prado]]|italic=no}}<br />
| city = [[Madrid]]<br />
}}<br />
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'''''The Jester Don John of Austria''''' (Spanish: '''''El bufón Don Juan de Austria''''') is a Spanish Baroque painting by [[Diego Velázquez]], completed around 1630-1650. It depicts a court jester dressed in an elaborate military costume and is part of Velázquez’s series of [[The Jester Don Diego de Acedo|court jester portraits]].<br />
[[File:Velázquez_-_Bufón_Barbarroja,_don_Cristóbal_de_Castañeda_y_Pernia_(Museo_del_Prado,_1637-40).jpg|thumb|'''''The Jester Barbarroja,''''' Diego Velázquez, ''c.'' 1637–1640]]<br />
It has been housed in the [[Buen Retiro Palace|Palacio del Buen Retiro]] (1701-1716), the [[Royal Palace of Madrid]] (1772-1816), and the [[Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando]] (1816-1827). The painting is currently housed in the [[Museo del Prado]] in Madrid where it has resided since 1827.<br />
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== Description ==<br />
Diego Velázquez’s ''The Jester Don John of Austria'' combines realism, satire, and social commentary. This painting depicts a jester of the Spanish court dressed in an exaggerated military costume. His left hand holds a baton while his right hand grips a sword. The individual is likely related to the 16th-century figure [[John of Austria]] (also known as Juan José of Austria), [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]]'s illegitimate son and [[Philip II of Spain|King Philip II]]’s half-brother.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-20 |title=Juan de Austria {{!}} Spanish Military Hero & Defender of Europe {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Juan-de-Austria |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> John of Austria was a commander in the Spanish military and is known for his victory at the [[Battle of Lepanto]] where the [[Holy League (1571)|Holy League]] (a collection of Catholic states) defeated the Ottoman Empire.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Battle of Lepanto {{!}} History, Combatants, Location, Significance, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Lepanto |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> His popularity even brought about concerns of his potential assumption of the Spanish throne its true heir. It is possible that the buffoon serves as a mockery of this famous figure.{{Cn|date=April 2025}}<br />
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The identity of the jester depicted in the painting remains debated by historians. It is believed that he was part of King Philip IV’s royal household where jesters and dwarves were common figures serving as entertainers, contrasting with the formality of court life. Unlike conventional depictions of jesters, this figure is not in a humorous or exaggerated pose. Instead, he is depicted in the attire of a commander, which mimics Jusepe de Ribera’s portrayal of Don Juan in his work ''Don Juan of Austria on Horseback''. The trophies scattered on the floor and the naval battle scene in the background may further allude to Don Juan of Austria and his military success at the Battle of Lepanto.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Ortíz |first1=Antonio Domínguez |title=Velázquez |last2=Sánchez |first2=Alfonso E. Pérez |last3=Gállego |first3=Julían |date=1989 |publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art |pages=190–197 |language=English}}</ref><br />
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It is believed that the individual depicted was a court fool or entertainer under King Philip IV. Archives list a man named Don Juan as an entertainer around the time the painting was thought to have been created.<ref name=":0" /> This work by Velázquez may parallel his other work, [[The Jester Barbarroja|''The Jester Barbarroja'']]'','' which portrays Cristóbal de Castañeda y Pernia, a jester in Philip IV’s court. ''The Jester Barbarroja'' also depicts a jester outfitted in military attire with a stern look.{{Cn|date=April 2025}}<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==Sources==<br />
* Aznar, Camón. ''Velázquez'', 1964<br />
* Tinterow, Gary, et al. ''[https://www.metmuseum.org/met-publications/manet-velazquez-the-french-taste-for-spanish-painting Manet/Velázquez: The French Taste for Spanish Painting]''. New York: [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]], 2003. {{isbn|978-0-3000-9880-8}}<br />
* Tomlinson, Janis. ''Velázquez, Painter and Courtier''. NJ: Princeton University Press, 2002. {{isbn|978-0-3000-3466-0}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jester Don John of Austria}}<br />
[[Category:Portraits by Diego Velázquez in the Museo del Prado]]<br />
[[Category:1633 paintings]]<br />
[[Category:17th-century portraits]]<br />
[[Category:Portraits of men]]<br />
[[Category:Portraits by Diego Velázquez]]<br />
[[Category:Clowns in art]]<br />
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{{Diego Velázquez}}<br />
{{Museo del Prado}}</div>imported>Ceoil