Velazquez and Baroque
October 3, 2009
lchris32
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.
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1.
Nannette |
October 6, 2009 at 5:44 pm
If there’s one thing I’m learning from this class it’s to push past surface impressions and find greater detail. At first glance of this painting I was drawn to the fact that it contained children, few of the works I’ve examined thus far have, and I found that interesting. Had it not been for your description of the painting I probably would never have noticed all the other perspectives of this painting, guess I was too caught up in my own.
You did an excellent job describing the painting and explaining the influence of the royals in how it came to be. It’s been a great learning experience to see how much impact these royal families had on the arts. Thankfully King Philip IV, and others like him, were supportive of these great artists. I’d hate to think what art would have become had it been left to only one source of influence.
2.
britneysbanter |
October 6, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Looking at this painting the eye is immediately drawn the pretty little girl who’s dress coloring and pale flushed face seem to be the focus of the painting. But this painting far exceeds simple explanation and is mentioned to have various hidden meanings and symbols. It isn’t merely a portrait of a royal little girl, it is a declaration of Velazquez himself. He has positioned himself within he painting with his brush along side the reflected Portrait of the King and Queen. This placement of himself is a crucial statement signifying his rank and importance in the royal court and as an artist. The most notable theme besides the apparent subject that is painted is the perceptive. As you mentioned it is a three-dimensional view of a room, which draws our attention to the rest of the room and it’s subtle symbolism which include. I think you did a great job drawing attention to the dimensions of the painting and perceptive but, the the painting is more then the dimensions and the symbolism is vast.
3.
britneysbanter |
October 6, 2009 at 10:17 pm
…continued – *which include the view point of the invisible King and Queen who are the invisible force, and focus behind the painting.
Starting at the end* The highlighting of the figures in front and the shadowing in the background are indicative of the baroque era, and the gleam on the painting of the king and queen seem to subtly draw the eye to the back wall and make you wonder about who is on the other side of of canvas. Overall I think you highlighted a good observation on perceptive but a little more information about the content would have been helpful.Why do you think Velazquez chose to imply that the king and queen are there opposed to simply incorporating them into the painting? And why is the little girl shown on the viewing side of the canvas?
4.
maxineandrews |
November 12, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Lacy, you chose a very interesting piece for your Baroque Blog. I appreciated the background on the artist as well as the detailed explanation of the piece. I had never seen this work prior to the assignment (commenting on another student’s blog) and I am glad you took the time to explain all the perspectives present in the piece. I might have missed them. Velazquez’s technique truly was unique. You made a good selection in regard to the requirements of the assignment (the influence of royalty), imagine being the royal painter. I can hardly fathom what it must have been like being the little princes. How can anybody have a normal childhood under those circumstances? God job! Only thing I can offer is perhaps you can provide some references.