LAS MENINAS
It might come as a surprise to many, but in early 17th-century Spain, being a painter was considered more a manual trade than an intellectual pursuit. Painters were valued for their skill, but their work was not yet seen as part of the fine arts, placing them lower in social status than poets or musicians.
Despite this perception, one exceptional artist would spend decades at the royal court, become a close confidant of King Philip IV, rise to the ranks of nobility, and most importantly, create one of the most famous paintings in the Western canon.
Let’s take a closer look at Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez.
Diego Velázquez, self-portrait.
With his naturalistic style, masterful use of color and light, and remarkable diversity of brushstrokes, Diego Velázquez (1599–1660) is regarded as the most influential Spanish painter of the 17th century.
As a young boy, Diego became an apprentice to Sevillian painter and writer Francisco Pacheco. Though Pacheco is often considered a mediocre painter by many accounts, he recognized Diego’s potential and encouraged him to nurture his craft. The two formed a strong bond of friendship, and Diego eventually married Pacheco’s daughter, with whom he had two children. Pacheco himself wrote in one of his works:
"I married him to my daughter, moved by his virtue, integrity, and good character, as well as by the promise of his exceptional talent."
The birthplace of Velazquez in Seville, Spain
Copyright: By Anual - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5026712
With his early works, Velázquez quickly gained prominence in Seville. He began his career by painting either religious scenes or depictions of everyday life, thus popularizing a new type of composition in Spanish painting: the bodegón, a kitchen scene with an emphasis on still life.
Old Woman Cooking Eggs, Diego Velázquez, currently part of the collection of the National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh
After the Prime Minister - a fellow Sevillian, became his patron, Velázquez rose to prominence in Madrid. By his early twenties, he was appointed court painter, a role that involved creating portraits of the royal extended family and their entourages.
He was granted a studio at the court and given access to the royal collection of paintings, most notably the works of Titian, which would go on to influence his style. His artistry was further enriched by a year-long trip to Italy, sponsored by the royal family. This journey marked the beginning of the most productive period of his life and transformed the way he portrayed light and color in his works.
Velázquez and King Philip IV developed a deep friendship and became confidantes over the years. It was well known that the King had a special chair in Velázquez's studio and greatly enjoyed watching the painter work. Their close relationship led the King to assign Velázquez with an important task: to travel to Italy for a year to enhance the royal collection with magnificent works of art. The primary purpose of his journey was to acquire paintings and antiques for the decoration of newly constructed apartments in the royal palace. Additionally, the King wanted Velázquez to engage fresco painters to decorate the ceilings of these apartments, helping to reintroduce fresco painting to Spain.
During his time in Italy, although officially on business, Velázquez continued to paint. He also developed close friendships with notable artists such as Nicolas Poussin and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. One of his paintings created during this trip was sold in 1970 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a staggering $5,544,000 - a record-breaking price at the time.
This is the portrait of Juan de Pareja, which was sold to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1970. Juan was a slave, who worked for Velazquez in his art studio. He painted him as preparation for his commissioned portrait of Pope Innocent X. The portrait was painted around 1650 and several years later, Velazquez freed Juan, who became an artist in his own right.
Upon his return to Madrid, Velázquez was granted the prestigious title of chamberlain of the palace, a testament to his increasing importance and status at court.
Las Meninas
In 1656, four years before his death, Diego Velázquez created the masterpiece that would come to define his career - Las Meninas, an oil painting that depicts the royal family with an unparalleled illusion of reality. In this work, Velázquez seemingly incorporates the viewer into the scene itself, blurring the lines between reality and art.
Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, 1656, oil on canvas. Dimensions: 318 cm × 276 cm
At the heart of the composition is the five-year-old Infanta Margarita Teresa, daughter of King Philip IV and his second wife, Maria Anna. Surrounding her are two meninas (ladies-in-waiting), while two dwarfs and a large dog appear in the foreground. In the background, other courtiers stand behind them, with Velázquez's studio in the Alcaraz serving as the setting. An interesting aspect of the painting is the artist’s own inclusion in the scene - Velázquez is depicted at the easel, painting a portrait of the royal couple, whose reflection is visible in a mirror. This has sparked debate among art historians as to whether the reflection depicts the King and Queen posing for their portrait or whether it shows Velázquez’s easel, raising the question of what exactly he was painting at that moment.
Velázquez himself wears a red cross, the symbol of the noble Order of Santiago - a distinction he had long dreamed of joining. While he achieved this honor just a year before his death, the cross appears in the painting three years prior to that, leading to speculation. A popular legend suggests that the King added the cross posthumously as a tribute to his friend, but a detailed examination in the 1980s confirmed that Velázquez himself painted it into the scene.
Las Meninas creates an uncanny sense of involvement, drawing the viewer into the action. The royal couple, though technically outside the scene, seem to be positioned to the left of the viewer. This surreal feeling of being in one place with the painting’s subjects, contributes significantly to the painting’s fame and appeal.
The creation of such an illusion is not easy to accomplish – Velazquez obviously had extensive knowledge of geometry, perspective and mathematics, in order to be able to create such a realistic space.
Today, Las Meninas is the most precious work held at the Prado Museum in Madrid. However, it is no longer available for public viewing due to the damage caused by years of exposure. It has resulted in a noticeable fading of the white and blue pigments, diminishing the contrast in the painting. The last major restoration was undertaken in 1984, when a layer of yellowish dust accumulated after a prior restoration in the 19th century was carefully removed.