Velazquez and Baroque

Maids of Honor (Las Meninas), painted in Spain by Diego Velazquez around 1656, is truly a masterpiece of the Baroque era. As the king of Spain, Phillip IV strived to make his reign the most prominent in European history. Because of this, Phillip appointed Velazquez the royal painter, sponsoring any and all paintings. Eventually, Velasquez was knighted for his work and named the Order of Santiago.  This title was well-deserved from the resulting Las Meninas.  

The painting depicts three dimensions (points of view) that no other artist had ever accomplished succesfully. The painting shows the perspective of the people being painted (the king and his second wife). It is as though the viewer is the king and queen themselves. One can see the reflection of those being painted in the mirror directly across the room.

Velasquez also depicts this painting as a genre scene from the perspective of himself simply because it shows the everyday lifestyle of the royal family. The princess is being waited on and surrounded by servants, a pet, and a dwarf; just as it would have been during that time.

The third view is the space the extends from the plane of the painting. This is apparent with the ascending set of stairs in the back of the room where the man appears to be leaving. Brilliantly placed, the set of stairs adds to the three-dimensional aspect.

The biggest reason I always find this painting so intriguing is because a viewer is forced to really ponder which perspective they would like to focus on. Is the viewer the king and queen? Is the viewer witnessing the life of the royal family from the perspective of Velazquez, or are they a bystander ascending the stairs in back of the room? Much like abstract paintings, the viewer is forced to think and evaluate on a different level. Had it not been for the support of King Phillip IV, Las Meninas may have never been such an inspiring masterpiece for so many artists that followed behind Velazquez.

4 comments October 3, 2009