Maria Bárbola facts for kids
Maria Bárbola was a Spanish court official. She is most famous for appearing in the well-known painting Las Meninas. People also knew her as Mari, Mariabárbola, or Mariabárbola Asquín. She passed away sometime after the year 1700.
Maria Bárbola came from Austria. In 1651, she started working at the Spanish royal court. Her job was a court dwarf for the queen regent of Spain, Mariana of Austria. Her official title was Enana de la Reina, which means "Dwarf of the Queen." She was also a companion to Margaret Theresa of Spain, who was a princess.
In 1700, King Phillip V changed how the Spanish royal court worked. He wanted to make it more modern. Because of these changes, jobs like court dwarf and court jester were removed. After this, Maria Bárbola went back to her home country of Austria.
Maria Bárbola in Las Meninas
The famous painting Las Meninas shows Maria Bárbola in a special way. In the 1600s, people with dwarfism often did not get much respect. They were sometimes shown in ways that were not kind.
However, in Las Meninas, Maria Bárbola looks very dignified. She stands tall and straight next to the princess. Her face shows she is thinking deeply and is in control. She also seems to look right at the person viewing the painting. This shows her importance in the painting and at court.
