Las Meninas
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 someth
The image in the mirror is known to be the King and his wife. The daily life of the family has been captured in the Baroque fashion. The Infanta is gazing off the page in the direction of her parents are standing. In the bottom right corner there is a young girl who is kicking a dog. Her gaze is in the same direction and her head is lowered so that she does not appear to be superior. There are eight people in the picture, excluding the King, the Queen and the Infanta. 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. The space is further exaggerated by the large canvas on the left of the painting that extends off the page and into our space. The maid to the right of the child seems to be bowing to us. The dog however does not seem to be enjoying being kicked but he is simply enduring the child. The maid to the left of her appears to be coaxing her to go to her parents so that she can be in the painting along with her parents.
Common topics in this essay:
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,
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Acceptance Essays
