1 January 2018

Las Meninas

Las Meninas

   Painted by Diego Velazquez in 1656, this painting just look like any other ordinary painting. At the center of the portrait is actually a queen at a young age. The portrait shows a behind-the-scene of a Spanish court. 
     The parents of the queen are also included behind her in the dark wooden frames. Velazquez made a brave move by including himself inside the portrait too, on the left side, which is considered as the 'the world first photobomb' for almost 175 years. Some said that the painting is actually based on a mirror reflection and the portrait of the king and queen is actually behind the painter. This portrait gives the audience a Spain king's point of view during 17th century because not all audience can feel that during the king's lifetime. 
     Historians claim that the honor on the painter's chest is added by the king after the painter's death. The painting is about 3 meter by 2 meter. This painting has never been to anywhere except from the castle to the museum. The painting has gone through various names from Retrato de la señora emperatriz con sus damas y una enana (Portrait of the Empress with her Ladies and a Dwarf), then to La familia del Señor rey Phelipe Quarto and La Familia. This painting have been a lot f inspiration to other painters like Gustave Courbet and James Abott Whistler. 

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