Art History and Velazquez
Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez is a painting with some puzzlement. It is hard to tell whether the painting is a Genre scene or a history painting. It could be both, indeed this is a painting of everyday life for this family, but it also documents a particular point in time for a well to do family. The painting takes place in the home of King Phillip IV. The focal point of the painting is his daughter princess Margharita. She is being attended to by a kneeling woman and surrounded by several others. (Adams 670) If you look closely at the canvas itself, you will notice that it looks to be divided into thirds. Now it could be an after effect form its recent cleaning or it has always been there on the surface. It is possible that the image is much more vibrant after its cleaning and the images in the background are blurry because of it. The Infanta is in the center of the painting and it dressed elegantly. Her maids that are surrounding her are dressed in the same manor suggesting wealth above the normal classes. The child has a look that reaches out side the canvas and draws the viewer into the action. The woman that is to her right is also looking in the same direction suggesting that she is actually looking at someone or somethin
In the bottom right corner there is a young girl who is kicking a dog. She seems to be enjoying herself. This is noticeable because of the expression on her face, and the fact that she is not paying attention to anything else around her. The dog however does not seem to be enjoying being kicked but he is simply enduring the child. Beside the playing child, there is a dwarf she is looking out at the canvas and at the viewer or possibly the King and Queen. Overall, this painting resembles the Baroque style. The darkness and the elaborate clothing of the time. Velazquez has created a world within a world, capturing everyday life in a high-class family. His use of dark and small points of vibrant colors gives the painting a naturalistic feeling. The people look real. There is a feeling that there is life in the painting, the people's facial expressions, their posture and their actions. The daily life of the family has been captured in the Baroque fashion. In the background, a doorway is slightly off center. The light that comes from the doorway makes the man standing in it more noticeable. There is a man standing peering into the room. It has been said to be Velazquez himself. He has his hand on the doorway and the way his feet are positioned suggests that he is in motion. That he is on his way somewhere and he is just taking a look at what is going on in the room. He seems relaxed by his posture, as if he might leave at any moment. There are eight people in the picture, excluding the King, the Queen and the Infanta. These pe
Some common words found in the essay are:
Phillip IV, King Queen, Queen Infanta, Diego Velazquez, king queen, mirror wall, hard tell, dog enjoying, life family, wall background, everyday life, left painting, slightly maid,
Approximate Word count = 1036
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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