How Can Las Meninas Be Considered As Masterpieces

Not a lot of art works can be considered as masterpieces. Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez, a group portrait of the court of Spanish King Philip IV, is definately one of them. The painting represents Velazquez’s techniques, and is absolutely extraordinary and implies influences Velazques might has had. Also Velazquez had a deeper purpose in his mind when creating this masterpiece. He wanted to earn the title that can ensure him a high position in society. So, Velazquez had this desire for an aristocratic title greater than any single court position he could hold. Diego Velazquez was born in Seville, Spain. In the childhood, he already showed his talent in art and was sent to learn more from Francisco Herrera, a great painter at that time. However,
“The picture is unbelievably complex, a kind of exercise in dexterity that only an established painter would attempt in order to prove that he could od it. The various planes are indicated by perspective, the interplay of light and dark, and a clever use of colors. The figures are well done and breathe vitality, but the essential mystery of this work lies outside such considerations” (Michener 407). The scene in Las Meninas is painted with the distinctive use of color and light. The painting is an oil on canvas painting completed in 1656. The painting was identified as El Cuadro de la Familia in seventeenth-century inventories of the Royal Palace at Madrid (Martin 337). The central focal point is the royal princess, Dona Margarita Maria of Austria. Around her are two of the Queen’s maids of honor, Dona Maria Augustina on the left and Dona Isabel de Velasco on the right. There is also Velazquez himself standing back of the easel. There are also two older people behind the princess, Dona Marcela de Ulloa and an unnamed Guarda Damas. All these people in the painting are members of the royal family. Velazquez believed that he deserved to be with them by putting him in the
Artists in Baroque did not use the Renaissance use of centralizing one single object with light. Instead, they used light to set up different focal points and to create a poetic mood. The light in Las Meninas appears to come from above and off to the right. However, the ligth does not seem to be evenly reflected in the painting. The man and woman standing behind the maid appear to be about five feet behind her, but they are in complete shadows. The element of light and color are just part of why this painting is a true masterpiece. The effect of his brushwork is the major key to the painting along with the colors, composition, and the figures. His brushwork highlights and distinguishes the various textures in the people’s clothing in the painting. According to Thomas Hoving, Las Meninas “well be the most thrilling portrayal of humanity ever created, a combination of portrait, self portrait, illusion, reality, dream, romance, likeness and propaganda ever painted” (Hoving