Written by: Rory Hess (Session 1)
Today I studied a painting called Las Meninas by Diego Velaquez. Velaquez, who made the painting in 1656, was commissioned by King Phillip IV for all royal portraits. While this painting was not commissioned by the King directly, the subject matter is the royal family. The artwork is centered around the Infanta Margaret Theresa, who Valequez illuminates with natural light and by putting Thersa in a white dress. She is surrounded by two ladies-in-waiting or las meninas.
At first glance, I thought it to be a fairly straightforward painting of the princess, but as I took a closer look the irregularities jumped out at me. First on the right side of the painting, positioned in front of the princess, are two jesters. For jesters to get this type of attention in a painting is very untraditional, especially their location. Another irregularity that left me with a feeling of uneasiness is the direction every subject is looking in the painting. Except for three figures, everyone painting is looking straight at me or really the viewer of the painting. This includes a figure which is the artist Velaquez himself. Velaquez appears on the left side of the painting tucked behind a large canvas holding a paintbrush and palette.
Finally, on a mirror hung up on the wall in the back of the painting, there is a blurry image of the King and Queen posing for a portrait. This depiction of the King and Queen is very unusual at the time. Typically when they were painted, they would only be shown in a very clear portrait, dressed up in their best clothing and posing in powerful stances. Although it may not appear to be the most flattering image of the King and Queen, to me, the light surrounding the Princess highlights both Spain’s hope and her purity as a leader.
This mirror also implies that the King and Queen are the ones being looked at by the figures in the painting so in a way whoever is in the audience is essentially the King and Queen. Although this painting is a very indirect way to comment about royalty at the time, it is still a very bold move.
Ultimately, I was very impressed with how well Velaquez used light and especially perspective, to create a very untraditional and powerful representation of the state of Spain at the time. Years later, Velaquez’s cleverness still resonates with the country of Spain and gives tons of insight into the spirit of the time. This painting is a must-see in person as images can not capture its intricate details, massive scale, and deliberate brush strokes. Definitely one of the most impressive pieces of art I have ever seen in person due to its historical and artistic value.
