Las Meninas Painting: The Finest of Velázquez’s Artworks

Las Meninas’ play is the essence of Spanish history, perhaps helpful to read the few extracts of the theatre culture of Spaniards, art, and history of Spain, and of course a little glimpse into the real Velázquez and his most famous painting, which bears the nation pride. Diego Velázquez is a name in Spanish art that nobody could ever forget because of his immense greatness in the artistic world. The only thing that made him less prolific than most of his contemporaries was the fact that he never accepted commissions other than those of the King. However, when he arrived in Madrid, the Spanish and foreign painters living there experienced an explosion of interest, not just because of the freshness of his techniques, but also because of the deep friendship between him and the King that developed shortly thereafter. Undoubtedly, his style of painting was an innovation, no less than a real theatrical scenery. Whether speaking of the details in his artworks or the new optic concept, his paintings are filled with enthusiasm, or should I say vernacular detailing, which lasts a long impression over the beholder’s retina. Ortega y Gasset especially pointed out that Velázquez’s contemporaries called his paintings cuadros sin acabar, as with the minutest brush strokes and blurred outlines, Velázquez leaves a powerful impression of light and color on the viewer. Now, there are more facts about the artist, but the best about him is known to us by approaching his finest painting, also foretelling the Spanish culture, Las Meninas. So, let’s start our way towards this impressive painting of Velázquez!

General Information About the Las Meninas Painting.

1. Artist’s Statement.

“Raphael, to be plain with you, for I prefer to be candid and outspoken, does not please me at all… It is Titian that bears the banner.”

— Diego Velázquez

While the artist spoke these words, Laura Cumming expressed Diego with the connection to his painting, Las Meninas, in these words,

“…he is to me like one of the figures in ‘Las Meninas’- the servant on the far edge by the window, the only person in that masterpiece about whom nothing is known, whose story is never told and who is all but a painted blur, vanishing into shadows.”

2. Subject Matter.

The apparent subject matter of the Las Meninas painting is an interior scene in which the intimate life of the Royal Palace is portrayed most nobly and serenely. If you look at the painting, the first thing to notice is the striking blond Princess Margarita and her entourage. As she holds her position in the center of the foreground, two maids of honor or meninas flank her side. To the right, there are two dwarfs, Maribarbola and Nicolassilo Portosanto, the latter leaning over the former as he steps on the sleeping dog. In the shadows of the foreground, Marcela de Ulloa talks to the squire, and finally, in the background, the open door allows us to look at the light coming from it when Velázquez’s cousin, Jose Nieto, steps in. Every single face in this outstanding piece of art reflects differences in thoughts and expressions. Velázquez, to the left of the little Princess and Maribarbola, looks over the King and Queen, who have positioned themselves in front of the painter; their faces are reflected in the mirror in the background, but they are not in the picture. There are two maids of honor attending the infanta, Agustina Sarmiento and Isabel de Velasco. Azorin has remarked that Jose Nieto is ready to leave for “we don’t know where” while Nicolasillo seems interested only in dogs.

 I will explain the entire subject matter in the coming sections as it is vast to understand.

3. Artist.

Diego Velázquez, one of the greatest Spanish painters, composed the Las Meninas painting. Born on June 6, 1599, he was the son of Juan Rodriguez de Silva, of Portuguese origin, and Jeronima Velázquez, a native of Seville. When Diego was young, he expressed his passion for drawing, which is why his father sent him to the studio of Francisco de Herrera, the Elder. The following year, as he turned barely thirteen, Diego entered the school of another teacher, Francisco Pacheo, who had more humane and understanding of emotions than his previous teacher. Now Pacheo knew that Diego would become a great artist as he knew his student very well, which is why, after five years, Pacheo eventually married his daughter, Juana, to him. Coming to the physical appearance of the artist, Diego was slightly short though well proportioned and handsome with the traits of a dignified man. However, when it comes to the temperament of the artist, he was taciturn, phlegmatic, cautious, and extremely reserved. Being the favorite painter and personal friend of the King of Spain, Diego enjoyed great privileges in his life. From being a royal functionary who lived relatively comfortably in the Court to keeping aloof from numerous palaces that plagued Court life at the time of the Spanish Monarchy decline, Diego has his moments of royalty in his life. He had somewhat of a perfect married life where his wife was his constant companion, dying within a week after the artist’s death.

We will learn a brief life of Diego in a later section to get more enriched by his artistic career.

5. Date.

The artwork dates back to the year 1656.

6. Provenance.

A little provenance to the painting is that in June 1651, Diego reached again in the city of Madrid after being absent for nearly three years. As the honors awaited him, he was then, appointed as the Palace Marshal, a responsible post, which had a good stipend and an official residence in the Casa del Tesoro. However, it caused great demands upon the artist’s time as he used to attend to many details from the inner workings of the palace and make these arrangements for the journeys of the court from place to place. And this was the time, when he composed many portraits of the second wife of Philip’s second wife, Mariana of Austria, whom the king married in 1649. And to celebrate his relationship with his wife and his children, the two greatest paintings, Las Meninas and Las Hilanderas.

7. Location.

Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez is on exhibition at Museo del Prado, Madrid.

8. Technique and Medium.

The composition has a medium of oil on canvas. The optical impression conveyed by the Las Meninas painting is believed to be the finest, enhanced by one’s physical presence before the canvas: a demand for authenticity. There is a subtle manipulation of linear and aerial perspective in the canvas by which Diego was able to make the space larger and through which the viewer discovers that neither he nor the artist is the object of the figure’s gaze. The use of optical impression of light and loose individualized brushwork further makes the artwork visually appealing and a masterpiece.

Now that we know a little about the composition of, Las Meninas, let us learn it in detailed sections.

In-Depth Description of Las Meninas.

About the Artist: Diego Velázquez.

With every human condition, especially with his sovereign subjects, Diego Velázquez not only spreads out his canvases, but he also provides us with a day-to-day diary that exposes all of the psychological oscillations resulting from external events, or from old age, without reserve. As a result, we pass from infancy to death with such consideration that political history appears quite separate, in some cases, or serves only as a stylistic commentary. There are few equals for Velázquez’s richness of invention and style, whether it is in the color palette, which ranges from a dark brownish red to a chrome imposed on blue and grey, or in the scene ranging from wide, clear initial expanses to impressionistic allusions and ultimately total dissolution in the atmosphere of color and image. Furthermore, when we consider his subjects in addition to his style, he reaches heights no other painter has ever reached.

Velázquez did something extraordinary when compared to the portraits as he studied one model from youth to age with an immense amount of patience and an ever-fresh inspiration. He went so deeper into the mystery of the eyesight that he became better informed, as to the effects of real light. Slowly, the face transforms from a rigid realism of features and details to an impressional beauty, a process similar to the endless climb of the Greek sculptors, through so many stiffly studied athletes, to the expansive gods of Phidias or the supple Hermes of Praxiteles. Unrelaxing criticism of beauty distinguished only the highest talent; it was brought on by the obsession with perfection, which kept the Greeks happy, artistic, and even enthusiastic as they polished what we might call the same old style of architecture.

Baptized on 6 June 1599, Diego was the eldest of the seven children of Juan Rodriguez de Silva and Jeronima Velázquez, whose surname he adopted. Both the parents came into the descent from the minor nobility who were natives of Seville, the largest city in Spain. Previously I told you that the artist also joined the foremost painter, Francisco Pacheco, who specialized in religious paintings and portraits. According to Pacheco himself, Velázquez ‘hired a little country boy to serve him as a model in different attitudes and poses- be it crying or laughing- without shrinking from any difficulty, and he did many drawings in charcoal heightened with white on blue paper after this boy and after many other subjects from nature so that he gained assurance in the portraiture.’ Now, the early drawings of the artist don’t survive, but his paintings testify to his dedication to working from nature and creating a sensation in Seville. In 1617 of March, he finally got the license to practice painting, and a year later, he married Pacheco’s daughter, Juana. During this time, he became a master in depicting scenes from everyday life or bodegones (still lives). The earliest painting that tells us about his painting style is The Musical Trio of 1617, which shows a group of strolling players performing around a table with a simple meal plan. However, during this time, he didn’t know how to define space in a good proportion, as the composition was overcrowded. These traits improve in artworks of his later life.

Now, hopefully, I will dedicate his life to another article. For now, let us just walk into the provenance of the painting.

History and Background of the Artwork.

Before we start learning about the provenance of Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, let me first introduce you to the Las Meninas Play.

Talking about the play, Buero Vallejo’s best character was Velázquez, who took his character in his play but was not entirely biographical. Neither, it is a pure invention as the author succeeded in making him more real to us than his actual history, however transforming him into a man of restless nature, who protests against oppression and abuses of all kinds. Now, many people would say that Buero took the personality of Velázquez and made him turn according to his wishes and thoughts. But what matters to us is the play, which Las Meninas foretells visually.

Using Buero’s dramatic effect, Las Meninas offers a glimpse at this famous painting’s tableau, making it an important part of history. There is only one intruder in the tableau, the rogue Martin, who tells the story of the people. Almost all of these characters and most of the others in the play are historically accurate. Pedro, Martin, and Ruiz Azcona, who cannot be identified, can easily be grouped with human types of that time. As a result, it would seem evident that the author knows more about the historical and geographic background than the critics are likely to admit since most of the places and situations in the novel are real. As in Velázquez’s relations with Pedro the beggar, moments in which he gives free rein to his imagination cannot be proven wrong by history.

The characters in Las Meninas might be all real or imaginary, but they represent Spanish people with Spanish attitudes. Vazquez Zamora believes that,

“Velazquez, el Rey y los demas, son instrumentos para el dramaturgo… para llegar al fondo de realidades espanols muy hondas y antiguas.”

Insubordination of youth against deceit and corruption can be symbolized by the princess Maria Teresa. There may be a sense of futility in the existence of Spanish aristocracy in the Marques. Tormented by a Puritan Catholicism, Nieto is a sinister and envious relative; Nardi, the ridiculous lackey who criticizes what he doesn’t understand to please his masters; Martin, the sententious cynic who laughs at his own misfortunes; and Juana, the wife unable to comprehend her husband due to jealousy. So, if you like you could read the entire Lan Meninas play, but it’s in Spanish and only available in the book.

Next, I have already given you a brief provenance under which the painting was composed. The three most famous paintings of Velasquez’s career, “The Topers” a work from youth; “The Surrender of Breda”- a work of middle age; and “Las Meninas”- painted near the end of his life, represent the changes and story of naturalism and perfect through the life of the artist.

Understanding the Meaning of Las Meninas.

Velázquez never painted anything like this before but it can’t be classified as a mere orthodox royal portrait. It is rather a hybrid creation that combines elements of a group portrait and a genre scene, making an excellent conversation piece of the eighteenth century. The motive for painting this wonderful picture will never be known, but one thing is for certain: this picture depicts the day-to-day duties of royalty in a single scene. He probably witnessed her parents looking on admiringly and her, in turn, greeting them as the little princess dallied with her playmates. In response to these collective memories, the artist conceived the idea of a pictorial record of these occasions.

There is a sense of unity and variety in this painting’s composition; remarkably beautiful details are spread across its entire pictorial surface; and the setting is one of the most credible spaces depicted in Western art. Furthermore, since he has gone beyond transmitting resemblance to successfully achieve representation of life or animation, he is a decisive step forward on the path to illusionism, which was the goal of European painting at the dawn of the modern era. However, as it is customary with Velázquez, in this scene where the Infanta and the court servants pause in their actions when the King and Queen arrive, several underlying meanings pertain to different fields of experience and coexist in one of the greatest masterpieces of Western art. Throughout history, it has been subjected to many and varied interpretations. Several studies have examined the Infanta’s royal status, giving the painting a political dimension.

The Subject Matter of Velázquez’s Las Meninas.

Antonio Palomino, in the biography of the Spanish painters, described the painting, Las Meninas with very much detailed information than provided by his previous author, Felix da Costa. I am quoting him in full, giving you a rich idea of the artwork.

“Among the marvelous paintings made by Don Diego Velazquez was the large picture with the portrait of the Empress- then Infanta of Spain- Dona Margarita Maria of Austria when she was very young. There are no words to describe her great charm, liveliness, and beauty, but her portrait itself is the best panegyric. At her feet kneels Dona Maria Agustina- one of the Queen’s Meninas (maid) and daughter of Don Diego Sarmiento- serving her water from a clay jug. At her other side are Dona Isabel de Velasco-daughter of Don Bernardino Lopez de Ayala y Velasco, Count of Fuensalida and His Majesty’s Gentleman of the Bedchamber, also a menina and later Lady of Honor- In an attitude and with a movement precisely as if she were speaking. In the foreground is a god lying down, and next to it is the midget Nicolasito Pertusato, who treads on it so to show- together with the ferociousness of its appearance- its tameness and its gentleness when tried; for when it was being painted it remained motionless in whatever attitude it was placed. This figure is dark and prominent and gives great harmony to the composition. Behind it is Maribarbola, a dwarf of formidable aspect; farther back and in half-shadow is Dona Marcela de Ulloa- Lady of Honor- and a Guarda Damas, who give a marvelous effect to the figural composition.

On the other side is Don Diego Velazquez’s painting; he has a palette of colors in his left hand and the brush in his right the double key of the bedchamber and of Chamberlain of the Palace at his waist, and on his breast the badge of Santiago, which was painted in after his death by order of His Majesty; for when Velazquez painted this picture the King had not yet bestowed on him that honor. Some say that it was His Majesty himself who painted it for the encouragement that having such an exalted chronicler would give to the practitioners of his very noble art. I regard this portrait of Velazquez as no lesser in art than that of Phidias, famous sculptor, and painter, who placed his portrait on the shield of the statue of the goddess Minerva that he had made, crafting it with such cunning that if it were to be removed from its place, the whole statue would also come part. Titian made his name no less eternal by portraying himself holding in his hands another portrait with the effigy of King Philip II, and just as Phidias’s name was never effaced while the statue of Minerva remained whole, and Titian’s as long as that of King Philip II endured, so too that of Velazquez will endure from century to century, as long as that of the lofty and precious Margarita endures, in whose shadow he immortalizes his image under the benign influence of such a sovereign mistress.

The canvas on which he is painting is large, and nothing of what is painted on it can be seen, for it is viewed from the back, the side that rests on the easel. Velazquez demonstrated his brilliant talent by revealing what he was painting through an ingenious device, making use of the crystalline brightness of a mirror painted at the back of the gallery and facing the picture, where the reflection, or repercussion, of our Catholic King and Queen, Philip, and Mariana, is represented. On the walls of the gallery that is depicted here and where it was painted, various pictures can be seen, even though dimly lit. They can be recognized as works by Rubens and as repreentating scenes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. This gallery has several windows seen in diminishing size, which makes its depth seem great; the light enters through them from the left, but only from the first and last ones. The floor is plain and done with such good perspective that it looks as if one could walk on it; the same amount of ceiling can be seen. To the mirror’s left there is an open door leading to a staircase, and there stands Jose Nieto, the Queen’s Chamberlain; the resemblance is great despite the distance and diminution in size and light where Velazquez assumes him to be. There is the atmosphere between the figures, the composition is superb, the idea new; in brief, there is no praise that can match the taste and skill of this work, for it is reality and not painting.”

Now, for those who found themselves confused by the words of Antonio, let me explain the subject matter in concise and clear words.

• At the center of the painting stands Infanta Margarita, who has a beguiling smile, blonde hair, and beautiful silvery-golden dress, taking the greatest pride of the place in the artist’s composition.

• The composition depicts a cross-section of the royal household group portrait, but with the posture of Infanta Margarita, everything becomes informal.
• To the left of the princess, Margarita, Dona Maria Sarmiento, who kneels towards her side, wearing a shiny and shiverish dress, offers water from a clay jug. She is the maid of honor or Meninas, as the pictures give a name to it.

• Then, to the right side of the Princess stands curtsy Dona Isabel de Velasco, who has curly hair and soft features, wearing a greyish silver dress.

• To the extreme right is Mari Barbola, whom Palomino describes as ‘a dwarf of formidable aspect,’ staring at the viewer. And near to her, is the Nicolasito Pertusato, playfully prodding a large dog asleep through his feet.

• And in the shadows, there is Dona Marcela de Ulloa- a Lady of Honour and unnamed escort to her right.

• In the extreme left, we see Velázquez, staring towards the subject to carefully put them into canvas. Now, it may seem that he is looking upon the viewer but in actuality, he is looking over the king and Queen, who are shown through the background mirror.

• In the distance, silhouetted in a doorway is Jose Nieto, Queen Chamberlain.

• Almost every single light just flows into the space and shines the little Infanta Margarita.

What might have happened, according to Palomino, is that Diego was painting the duo portrait of the King and Queen, and suddenly, they got interrupted by the appearance of the Infanta and her entourage, who came to entertain the couple. However, this is unlikely to be correct as double portraits didn’t exist in the Spanish tradition. Also, in addition to this, Velázquez in general never painted the dual portrait. So, if it is not the King and Queen to be painted, then Diego might have composed Infanta and her companions, but he admittedly positioned them in the background mirror.

Now, the last thing about the subject matter of the painting is the back of the picture. In the background in the direction left, the viewer gets the final surprise as Diego shows the hanging of the painted copies by Mazo of the mythologies of Rubens and his workshop, which was commissioned for the Torre de la Parada. One of them depicts The Judgement of Midas and the other one contests between Pallas and Arachne, in which both subjects are mortals daring to challenge the supremacy of God.

Formal Analysis of Las Meninas.

1. Line.

There are networks of rectangles in the form of a mirror, open doorway, framed pictures, and window shutters on the right, which articulate the empty space really well, forming the profusion of vertical and horizontal lines. There is a counterpoint to these straight lines and right angles in the form of lilting lines of the figures themselves. Some of the staring eyes or brush positions are in diagonal positions, making the painting in motion.

2. Light and Value.

Velasquez relies on tone and true light with minimum adjustments of proportions to unite the masses of many figures in the Las Meninas painting. Harmonious lines are as valuable to him in the composition of a picture as defined lines are in the rendering of forms. Through the gradations of tone through fixed contours, he prevents figures from being cut up by lines drawn around their eyes, lips, or other features.

Lights and darks contrast strongly. Old Masters used a similar technique called chiaroscuro, but it is less extreme. It seems that the painting’s light dictates your attention. Your eyes follow the light wherever it goes.

An open doorway in the background shows a man coming or going. In the grayscale image shown earlier, there is a striking contrast between one of the lightest values and one of the darkest values. A hard edge in this area enhances clarity and impact (hard edges-more impact).

3. Space.

By using different shades of tone, Velasquez enhances the composition’s space. The Las Meninas fill the space entirely with a row of heads pressed down into the bottom of any empty space, as far as the line goes. He created a compact monument with blocks of balanced colors or swirled lines to make the entire space alive. The dark walls and ceiling help him to use empty space above a group of figures in impressible form, which Caravaggio’s paintings depict (especially the altarpieces), serving as a kind of resonating space for the action. There is a permit for these figures to breathe and move, allowing them to stand in an ambient setting rather than a boring row of group portraiture.

4. Color.

To use the words of the early Impressionists, Las Meninas used a great deal of tone and color, but the vision of it wasn’t translated into those lines. As if they were individual pieces of a puzzle, the reds, blues, oranges, whites, browns, etc, are arranged in huge chunks. To achieve the semblance of chiaroscuro and effect under this system, each area of color may require a separate and distinct process of working. Diego used a variety of restrained colors like grays, browns, blacks, and other weak colors, but there are vivid red accents, which create attention to these key points of interest for the beholder’s eyes. There is a warmth throughout the painting with red, orange, and yellow tones with the actual colors used by the artist as white, azurite, vermilion, red lake, ochres, and carbon black.

Opinions and Conclusions.

Las Meninas is surely the finest artwork of Diego Velázquez, who portrayed the royal family life incidents through excellent technical skills, and psychological and visual drama in the subjects. With outstanding space efficiency, a profusion of vertical and horizontal lines, a choice of perfect colors, and soft contours, the Les Meninas painting is the pride of Spanish art, narrating Spanish history, and the Las Meninas play in its terms. The detailing of the painting is excellent, and what I adore most about it is the perfect reflection of light over Princess Infanta.

Resources.

1. Velázquez’s Las Meninas by Suzanne L. Stratton-Pruitt.
2. Las Meninas by Antonio Buero Vallejo.
3. Velasquez by A. L Baldry.
4. Velasquez by Robert Alan Mowbray Stevenson.
5. Colourlex.
6. Museo Del Prado.
7. Featured Image: Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, Diego Velázquez, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently Asked Questions.

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