Artistic image of Velasquez's menina painting. The mysterious story of a painting. Diego Velazquez, Las Meninas

Diego Velazquez's painting Las Meninas is one of the masterpieces of the Prado Museum in Madrid. It would seem that absolutely everything is known about this famous painting of the 17th century. However, many art historians believe that the painting actually hides many secrets. For example, an encrypted self-portrait of the artist himself. Moreover, the self-portrait is not real, but ideal, in which the painter shows not how it is, but how he would like it to be in reality. In this review, we will lift the veil of secrecy over this beautiful canvas.

Las Meninas can be called a royal portrait

In fact, the painting depicts the daily life of a young princess.

There's a king and a queen in the picture

Velasquez painted himself in a painting

Only one person in the painting remained unidentified.

The biggest mystery is what Velazquez really wanted to portray.

"Menins" - the view of the royal couple

Few paintings have been honored with daily viewing by the king.

The painting was changed after the death of the artist by order of the king

Painting dimensions

"Las Meninas" were transferred by the king to the museum

The title of the painting has changed.

"Las Meninas" made Velasquez famous 150 years after his death

The UK has its own version of the painting

Analysis of a painting of the 15th - 19th centuries. Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velasquez, Las Meninas

Plan
Doing

2. General painting by Diego Velasquez.
3. Determination of the main features of the work "Menin". The plot of the picture, genre affiliation. Construction of the space of the picture. composition features. Features of the light structure of the picture. Features of the color structure of the picture. The final characteristic of the artistic and figurative structure, the semantic and meaningful originality of this work of art.
Conclusion

Introduction
The picturesque canvases of famous artists allow us to plunge into the past, to understand how life was built, how people lived and looked like many centuries ago. Moreover, we see the world through the eyes of a person of that time, which helps to immerse ourselves in the realities of ancient times. In many ways, we know the history thanks to the paintings, because each element of the pictorial canvas tells us a lot. We peer into faces, study interior details, costumes and try to understand what these people were thinking. But not only the plot of the picture helps us to comprehend the essence of a bygone era.

What the picture is drawn on, what the artist painted, the choice of color schemes, perspective, the play of light and shadow says a lot, often more than the plot. After all, the nature of the picture and the nature of the era reflect the character of the painter, his mood, his attitude to life. This means that an attentive viewer will feel and understand the essence of the time when the picture was painted. And then the result of their observations can be compared with their own ideas about that time. And the picture that we get can amaze the imagination. Indeed, often our ideas about the world have nothing to do with reality.

And now I want to go to Spain in the 17th century. To the country of red Spanish wine, fierce bullfights, passionate flamenco. And our guide will be the great Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velasquez. Velasquez. Court painter of the Spanish court.

It is impossible to talk about the work of the painter in isolation from the era, from the lifestyle of that time, forgetting about the politics and economy of the country, from everything that influenced the worldview of people.

Main part
1. general characteristics Spanish painting of the 17th century.
The 17th century is rightfully considered the golden age of Spanish painting. It was this time that gave many wonderful names: El Greco, Pedro Antonio Vidal, Rodrigo de Villandrando, Jusepe Ribera, Jeronimo Jacinto de Espinosa, Nicolas de Villasis, Juan de Toledo and dozens of others. The painting of the Spanish Golden Age, the Baroque era became the period of the highest flowering of the Spanish visual arts. Spanish art researcher Tatyana Kaptereva notes the following character traits paintings of this period:
- the predominance of the sharpness of observation of nature over artistic imagination
- concentration of attention on a person, with the exclusion of other layers of perception of reality (this led to a weak development of the landscape and a peculiar, extra-plot development of the everyday genre).
The multitude of artists and painting schools allows us to clearly trace the general tendencies of Spanish painting of this historical period. One can especially single out the Madrid school of Spanish painting, of which Velázquez was a representative. And we, without flattery and subservience, can call him the king of the "Golden Age of Spanish Painting."

2. General characteristics of Diego Velazquez's painting.
Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (Spanish: Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez) is a Spanish artist, the greatest representative of the golden age of Spanish painting. He was born at the turn of the century, in 1599, in Seville. The talent of the painter was discovered by Diego quite early and at 10 he was assigned to study in the workshop of the famous Seville artist Francisco Herrera the Elder. But soon their paths diverged and he entered the apprenticeship with the artist Francisco Pacheco for six years, starting in December. Pacheco, a man of wide culture and many-sided education, the author of a treatise on the art of painting, a faithful follower of Raphael and Michelangelo, and himself making excellent portraits in pencil, was his own man in the intellectual milieu of Seville and among the clergy, since he held the position of censor and expert on church painting under the Holy Inquisition in Seville. The school of painting "Academia Sevillana" reflected an academic, official view of the presentation of religious plots and images. It was at this school that the young Velazquez received his first technical training and aesthetic skills, where he also became friends with the future sculptor and painter Alonso Cano and the famous Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbaran. And a few years later he became related to his teacher, marrying his daughter. This was a great help to a young talented artist and gave a start to his career.

The first paintings of the author showed that the world has found a brilliant master of the brush. The play of light on the figures of the foreground, emphasizing the surfaces and textures in the painting "Breakfast", the canvas "Water Carrier" famous for its visual effects. Also, the paintings of Velascas are distinguished by their underlined realism in the depiction of objects and the accurate transmission of the features of nature, enhanced by the contrasting lighting of the foreground figures and the density of the letter. All works are made using a dark, often conditional background, devoid of depth, which leaves a feeling of airlessness, in a laconic and expressive manner. With all this, it should be noted that there is no doubt about the vitality and reliability of the depicted images and scenes. But already at the age of 20, Velazquez realized that the standard style of writing and the plot for that time were far from his aspirations. The first sign was the painting "Christ in the house of Mary and Martha". And the painting “The Water Seller from Seville” is filled with subtle eroticism, subtle, but bold for that time. And now, thanks to the talent and patronage of Pacheco and Count Gaspar de Guzman Olivares, Velasquez becomes a court painter at the court of the Spanish King Philip IV. Long years he painted portraits of courtiers, higher ranks, church dignitaries and even the Pope. He was the first to elevate the portrait to the genre of representative art, favorably presenting those who are depicted on the canvas. But despite the fact that Velazquez served as a court painter for almost 40 years, he found his way in art, showed the world the beauty of nature and at the same time became the first Spanish artist to depict a nude female nature in the painting “Venus with a Mirror”. And at the same time, there is not the slightest vulgarity and rudeness in the picture, there is no vulgarity. This is truly an art, great and unsurpassed.

3. Determination of the main features of the work "Menin". The plot of the picture, genre affiliation. Construction of the space of the picture. composition features. Features of the light structure of the picture. Features of the color structure of the picture. The final characteristic of the artistic and figurative structure, the semantic and meaningful originality of this work of art.

The king and queen are not visible. It is assumed that they are outside the picture, in front of it. This is indicated by their vague reflection in the mirror, at the back of the room. But in the foreground of the picture, everything that appears to the eyes of those posing is captured. An artist with a brush and palette peers at his models, looking out from behind an easel. Next to him, in the middle of the room, stands the tiny Infanta Margherita, who was brought in to entertain the royal couple during their tiresome seances. Two ladies of state, in Spanish, meninas, who gave the name to the whole picture, bend warningly over her. The one who gives the infanta a vessel was called Doña Maria Sarmiento, the other Isabella de Velasco. Behind Isabella, a woman in a monastic outfit, Doña Marcela de Ulloa, appears from the twilight, and guardadamas - a court rank, obliged to accompany the infanta everywhere. The favorite amusements of the Spanish court are not forgotten: the tiny dwarf Nicolasito Pertusato pushes with his foot a calmly dozing huge dog. Nearby, the ugly dwarf Maria Barbola protrudes sedately. The action takes place in the spacious room of the royal palace, allotted to the artist as a workshop. Far away is the figure of the Marshal Don José Nieto. Throwing back the heavy curtain, he peers through the door, and a stream of sunlight pours into the half-dark hall. This work by Velasquez has long been included in the pantheon of world masterpieces and has become so familiar to our eyes that we almost do not notice in it violations of all the rules of group portraits. Meanwhile, this canvas is remarkable in that it captures everything that was usually not customary to show: it depicts the behind-the-scenes side of court life. Velazquez usually painted his portraits against a dark, neutral background. In the equestrian portraits of Philip and Anna, the landscape served as a background, but the spreading trees against the background of these portraits look just like conditional scenery, scenery. In the portrait of Las Meninas, the background is not conditional scenery, but what is behind the scenes, something that was not noticed; at the same time, the background became the main subject of the artist’s attention, captured the entire canvas and, as it were, pushed the main characters out of it.

Opening the veil over the reverse side of the royal court, Velazquez strictly observes the rules of courtesy, everything looks decorous and even solemn. No wonder the king did not find anything reprehensible in the picture, and she took her place among the other picturesque treasures of the palace. Meanwhile, it is built on the complex casuistry of the elements of “exaltation” and “relegation”, and only their extreme intricacy saved the master from the troubles that Rembrandt had brought to Rembrandt shortly before by shuffling the figures in The Night Watch.
Describing the place of the royal couple in the picture, one has to resort to conflicting definitions. On the one hand, it is not Philip and Anna that are shown, but only what is behind them; on the other hand, they are glorified by the fact that the whole picture and even the artist himself serve as objects of their perception; their perception is affirmed as subjective, since both the artist who painted the real picture and the viewer who examines it can take the point of view of the royal couple as mere mortals. The invisibility of the royal couple may mean that they are incommensurable with the narrow world of the picture; on the other hand, it loses this incommensurability, turning into a cloudy reflection in the mirror.
The same complex casuistry of "exaltation" and "bringing down" underlies the image of the little infanta. In Las Meninas, she holds the second most important place. It has been argued that it is the main actor. Velazquez worked hard on the image of infants, pale, sickly girls, wrapped in pantyhose, in unchildish, stiff poses. Portraits of growing children were sent to the relatives of the king; the former imperial collections of the Vienna Museum have several copies of them. Only the consonance of colorful spots, tender as a fresh field bouquet, enlivened this pattern, legitimized by tradition. Velazquez did not dare to break it in Las Meninas either. The infanta chrysalis is the most frozen figure in the whole picture. At the same time, her impassibility is a sign of her highest dignity. However, thanks to the finely balanced composition, the little infanta finds herself in a somewhat unusual position. It would seem that all the conventions and conventions are observed here. The Infanta serves as the center of attention for all the characters and occupies a central position in the picture. Her head falls exactly in the middle of the huge canvas, at the perspective vanishing point, and all this makes her figure stand out from her motley retinue. However, this provision requires reservations and amendments. The canvas put forward cuts off a narrow strip of the picture on the left. Actually, the span occupied by the figures should be considered a picture, and within its limits the central place belongs not to the infanta, but to the figure of the marshal who stopped at the door. He acts as such a sharp silhouette against the light background of the door that the viewer's eye, bypassing the figures of the foreground, involuntarily strives for him. This does not mean, of course, that the predominant role of the Infanta is completely destroyed, but it makes her predominance half fictitious. An unprejudiced viewer does not immediately notice its central position. No wonder the picture was named after the secondary characters - menin.

At the same time, another technique was used in Las Meninas, depriving the image of the Infanta of her royal halo. The whole picture is built on paired oppositions. This is reflected in the two leaning meninas, matching mirrors and doors, and two mythological paintings on the back wall. Among these correspondences, a strange similarity between the little infanta and the dwarf Barbola is striking. The same meaningless look, the same ridiculous sedateness, almost the same outfit. Freak Barbola is, as it were, a parody of the pretty, almost unearthly image of a blond, blue-eyed infanta. It is very possible that direct parody was not part of the artist's intentions. In the portraits of that era, pugs and bulldogs, with their ugliness, only set off the human goodness of their owners. At the same time, the inclusion of dwarfs in a group portrait not only perpetuates them on a par with the highest persons, but also reduces these persons from their pedestal.
The painting "Las Meninas" is so remarkable, so rising above the average level of group portraits of the 17th century, that it gives almost a more complete picture of Velasquez's worldview than many of his other works. The man in Velázquez's painting is more closely associated with environment, more susceptible to the action of external forces, reveals a greater wealth of relationships with the outside world. It can be said that not only the king, but in general a person is not the main character in Las Meninas, as he was in classical art. Everything depends on the point of view. There is the point of view of Philip and Anna, there is the point of view of the artist, there is the point of view of the viewer. The whole forms a system of worlds interpenetrating each other, or, in the words of the philosophy of the XVII-XVIII centuries, monads. Each has its own legitimacy. From the point of view of each, the meaning of the whole changes.

In "Las Meninas" the decay became even more acute. The royal couple is replaced by its reflection in the mirror, so its real basis can fall away, be taken out of the frame of the picture.

But the mirror in Las Meninas has another meaning. It falls strictly in the middle of the picture, next to the open door through which a bright sunbeam bursts. Two light spots on the semi-dark wall: the open door leads into the distance, beyond the twilight hall, the mirror catches a glimpse of the world in front of the canvas. The picture turns out to be the intersection of two spheres. Perhaps the mirror motif was inspired by Velazquez from the Netherlands, who were very much appreciated in Spain. No wonder van Eyck, back in the 15th century, in the portrait of the Arnolfini couple, captured his reflection in a round mirror on the wall. But van Eyck's mirror does not expand the space. Reflecting the figure of the artist, it only introduces him to the peaceful comfort of a burgher's house, which is also hinted at by the inscription: "I was here."

So, in relation to space, Velasquez's painting forms the intersection of two spheres. In relation to the action, several plot nodes are connected in it. In the foreground, the artist paints a portrait, meninas serve the infanta, a dwarf frolics. In the distance, the marshal, going up the stairs, throws back the curtain and indifferently looks into open door. Among the Dutch, and especially Pieter de Hooch, such "outsiders" figures are not uncommon. But in quiet burgher interiors, where a person becomes a staffage, all action freezes, and this motif loses its sharpness. On the contrary, in Las Meninas the clash of two planes contains something of the multidimensionality of the new European novel. The appearance of the marshal is so unexpected, he looks so naturally through the open door, as if urging us to leave the semi-dark chambers of the palace, that we, like the reader of the novel, carried away by the second plot line and forgetting about the main character, are ready not to notice the infanta and her retinue.

In classical art, the frame closes the picture, as the prologue and epilogue close the poem. In Velázquez, on the contrary, the frame serves only as an accidental span, on the sides of which and in front of which there is reality. Depicting how portraits are painted (in particular, the Evangelist Luke - the Madonna), the old masters prove their veracity by comparing the original and the image. Limiting himself to the very process of painting a picture, Velasquez, in essence, does not show either the original or the image. Looking at how Velasquez paints a portrait of Philip in the picture, we can guess that Velasquez, who paints Philip, painted the real Velasquez. We ascend, as it were, to an ever higher degree of reality, but we never reach the absolute. The picture "Las Meninas" can be called a portrait about a portrait, a picture about a picture: the span of the door, the mirror, the pictures on the wall and the picture itself - all these are the stages of including the image in the frames, the stage of pictorial embodiment.

The picture takes us to a measurable space, to the realm of the golden section. The regular rectangles of the paintings and windows are reminiscent of Leonardo's Last Supper carpets. Only the composition of Velasquez is not based on symmetry, but rather on the balance of figures and architectural forms.

You need to carefully look at their ratios. We see that the mirror and the door in the back of the room are located strictly in the middle, as if on the sides of the main axis of the composition, right above the figure of the infanta. We notice, further, that the paintings above them deviate somewhat from this axis to the left, so that they are directly above the mirror with the reflection of the royal couple. Moreover, both of these pictures are built according to the golden section and are so harmonious that this second tectonic system lies on top of the first and includes geometric shapes in the ratio of figures.

But if vertical axes the compositions are somewhat shifted and therefore dynamic, the horizontal divisions are more calm. First of all, the whole picture, as well as one of Velazquez's two landscapes "Villa Medici", is divided into two equal parts, and the narrow strip of the wall between the paintings of the upper row and the door serves as the border between them. The lower half of the picture is occupied by figures.

The upper is free, more airy and light. This decision alone is as clear and simple as it could be only with Poussin (new proof that Velasquez's meaning is not in one colorism). But besides this, it turns out that each half of the picture is divided into two parts; the boundary of this division at the top is the ceiling line, at the bottom - the floor line, while both divisions quite accurately obey the law of the golden section. True, this regularity can be established only by measurements, which each viewer is not obliged to make. But it can be argued that anyone who perceives a picture with an unbiased eye, unconsciously feels the harmony of its proportions. If you close the narrow strip at the top of the picture and turn it into a square, you can see how important these relationships are. The arrangement of the figures will remain unchanged, but the picture will lose its lightness and airiness.

We do not know exactly how consciously all these forms were applied by Velázquez. We do not know the sketches for the painting. There is nothing incredible that random visual impressions reflected in cursory sketches also played a role in her creative history. However, in the form in which these impressions are combined, they form a harmonious and complete image in which all parts are mutually conditioned, and the whole is distinguished by versatility and depth of thought.

Conclusion
It so happened that an incidentally seen scene from ordinary palace life became the bible of painting. A picture that is not immediately evident, but which will never be forgotten. Light, airy, delightfully simple and at the same time, incredibly complex, exactly corresponding to the canons of painting. A painting that can be considered the crown of the king of the Golden Age of Spanish painting.

Bibliography

Meninas (or family of Philip IV) - Diego Velasquez. 1656. Oil on canvas. 318 x 276 cm

The picture impresses with its scale and versatility. Firstly, this is a very large canvas, and secondly, several masterful artistic techniques were used at once to expand the space. The artist placed the characters in a spacious room, in the background of which there is a door with a gentleman in black clothes standing on the illuminated steps. This immediately indicates the presence of another space outside the room, visually expanding its dimensions, depriving it of two-dimensionality.

The whole image is slightly shifted to the side due to the canvas facing us with the back side. Slightly pulling back, the artist stands in front of the canvas - this is Velazquez himself. They paint a picture, but not the one that we see in front of us, since the main characters are facing us. These are three different plans. But this was not enough for the master, and he added a mirror, which reflects the royal couple - King Philip IV of Spain and his wife Marianna. They look with love at their only child at that time - Infanta Margarita.

Although the painting is called Las Meninas, that is, ladies-in-waiting at the Spanish royal court, the center of the image is a little princess, the hope of the whole family of the Spanish Habsburgs at that time. Five-year-old Margarita is calm, self-confident and even arrogant beyond her age. She, without the slightest excitement and a change in facial expression, looks at others, and her tiny baby body is literally shackled in the hard shell of a magnificent court toilet. She is not embarrassed by noble ladies - her meninas - who crouched before her in a deep bow in accordance with the severe etiquette adopted at the Spanish court. She is not even interested in the palace dwarf and the jester who put his foot on the one lying in the foreground. big dog. This little girl carries herself with all possible grandeur, personifying the centuries-old Spanish monarchy.

The picture is painted in pleasant silvery tones without flashy colors. The background of the room seems to dissolve in a light grayish haze, but all the details of the complex outfit of little Margarita are written out with the smallest details. The artist did not forget himself. Before us appears an imposing middle-aged man, with lush curly locks, in black silk clothes and with a cross of Sant'Iago on his chest. Because of this distinction, which only a full-blooded Spaniard could receive without a drop of Jewish or Moorish blood, a little legend arose. Since the artist received the cross only three years after painting the canvas, it is believed that the king himself completed it.

When you look closely at the canvas, you are surprised at the number of artistic techniques used in the work. The finest glazes were used to paint the faces, in which the paints were superimposed in the thinnest translucent layers. Details of clothing, on the contrary, are written in small, elegant strokes. They amazingly accurately convey the texture of lace and velvet, the finest sewing and the complex texture of the Infanta's dress. The surroundings seem to be done in watercolor or pastel, dissolving in the lightest vague atmosphere.

One of the master's most famous paintings is in the Prado Museum, where it still attracts the gaze of many visitors.

Isoparaphrase - this is the name of a painting or graphic work created based on a painting by another artist. The deeper the content of the source material, the more interesting the approach of the master, who wants to take a fresh look at the recognized masterpieces, the higher the significance of such a rethinking.

A series of paintings "Las Meninas" by Picasso, created based on the greatest creation of Velasquez, is the result of the interaction of two geniuses separated in time, but similar in the scale of artistic talent.

Velazquez's masterpiece

The picture, created (1599-1660) four years before his death, requires gradual entry and long contemplation. It is full of mysteries and subtexts that allow for interpretation, which appear in each new generation of researchers and ordinary art lovers.

There is a lot of mystery in it, starting with the name. The Spanish Las Meninas ("Ladies of Honor") has become generally accepted, although the main figure of the picture is the five-year-old daughter of the Spanish monarch Philip IV - Infanta Margarita. The canvas measuring 2.76x3.18 m is called Velasquez's self-portrait, because the figure of the artist in front of a huge canvas, which carefully peers at the viewer, is no less significant than the little princess and her entourage.

There is also the only joint image of the royal couple, solved as an indistinct reflection in the mirror. Hence, there are several variants of the plot: the court artist paints a small infanta and is distracted by the royal parents who have come, or he is busy working on a huge ceremonial portrait of Philip IV and his wife Marianna, who are entertained by their only daughter.

Characters

All the heroes of "Menin" have a name and a story that has come down through time. This gives additional facets to the images created by Velasquez. The lady-in-waiting dona Maria Sarmiento, in a low bow, gives a vessel with a drink to the royal girl, who, in a tight and massive robe, cannot move freely on her own and is forced to keep her posture in accordance with strict etiquette. Another maid of honor, a nun from the retinue and the infanta's bodyguard are also tense. Only freaks-jesters behave naturally. The dwarf Maria Barbola proudly demonstrates the royal award, and little Nicolao kicks a huge mastiff with his foot.

The painter admires the little princess, writes out in detail those who make up her retinue. Only those on whom the fate of the courtiers and his own depend, he does not honor stare and extra effort. The royal couple are vague ghosts in the mirror, and the all-powerful court marshal of the court is a figure frozen in the opening, with facial features smeared with backlight.

Velasquez is a real magician of light and composition. Even contemporaries were struck by the sense of reality that distinguishes "Las Meninas". Falling beams of light and mysterious shadow spaces complete and enrich the story that the master tells. This story has been exciting people for more than three centuries, giving rise to their own associations. Own special meaning have "Las Meninas" by Picasso, created in times of other artistic styles and spiritual values.

Heritage Development

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was 14 years old when he first came with his father to the Prado Museum in Madrid. Since then, Velazquez, along with Goya, El Greco, Delacroix, Courbet, Poussin, has become a strong influence on the formation of the artist's views on the world and for painting. During his studies in the fine arts of San Fernando (1897-1898), he did a lot of copying the paintings of these masters, penetrating into their "anatomy", trying to uncover the secrets of their magical influence on the viewer.

Velazquez's canvas impressed with its amazing psychological atmosphere, the complexity of the relationship between the characters, the artist and the viewer. In the memoirs of contemporaries relating to different periods, there is a lot of evidence of Picasso's admiration for Velasquez's ingenious idea, realism, unique composition and the highest technical skill of the master.

His legacy includes many sketches and sketches inspired by the painting by Velasquez. In 1957, Picasso's associations from Menin resulted in a large series in which the canvas was carefully analyzed and analyzed, which contributed to the birth of new emotions and unexpected images.

History of creation

Picasso created his "Las Meninas" almost exactly three centuries after Velasquez. He works on this cycle from August to December 1957 at his villa in the south of France. It includes 58 paintings of different scales and with varying degrees of use of the Menin motifs. There are also large monochrome and color interpretations of the entire canvas and small jobs featuring main and secondary characters. Picasso's Meninas series also contains completely free improvisations, without direct allusions, but still inspired by the images of Velazquez.

This work is considered to be late period the work of Picasso. It shows the absence of fetters for thought and the courage of the artistic manner, which were the result of intense creative searches that fascinated the master for a long time. The freedom and audacity with which Picasso rethinks Las Meninas is striking. The style of his painting in this series is the embodiment of the spirit of experiment and reformation, which is the main content of the entire life of the master. At the time of work on the cycle, the artist was 76 years old, he has long achieved success and recognition among professionals and the public, although some see in his works on themes of the past masters a desire to overcome doubts about his significance.

Picasso, Las Meninas: description

The painting that marked the beginning of the series was painted by Picasso on August 17, 1957. This large canvas is monochrome and looks unfinished. In the composition, which Picasso, unlike the original, came out horizontal, you can see all the characters. Here are the author-artist, the little infanta and her retinue, the king and queen and even the dog reflected in the mirror. But the metamorphoses that their images and the entire space of the picture are subjected to create a completely new reality.

Even a fleeting comparison of the paintings "Las Meninas" by Velasquez and Picasso reveals different approach to the solution of lighting and depth of the scene as means of expression. Unlike the original source, which amazed the viewer with the authenticity of light and shadow, for the new interpretation the ratio of the clearly visible foreground and the subdued shaded spaces of the huge atelier does not matter. But even with flooding side lighting, a blinding stream persists in the opening behind the chamber marshal, emphasized by the silhouette of the courtier, laconic in shape. The drama radiated by this "black man" is only a small part of the emotions that the canvas generates.

An attentive and open-minded viewer will see how Picasso complements and changes the original content. "Las Meninas" by Picasso demonstrate a new content of recognizable images. The figure of the artist grows into a gigantic construction, forming an almost architectural structure with the canvas. The cross on Velazquez's chest is hypertrophied, according to legend, written by the king himself after the death of the artist. The maids of honor acquire rigidity, similar to aggression. Dwarfs and a dog look like caricatures, but their comedy does not have easy temper pure humor.

Comparison of visual means

Picasso and Velasquez visually interpret "Las Meninas" too differently. Comparison of pictorial methods clearly indicates a three-century difference in time. Picasso's main pictorial means are geometrization and generalization of form. The scene becomes like a reflection in the pieces of broken glass. Energy is born by the interaction of lines and planes, and realistic images are replaced by symbols and masks.

This becomes clearer when the monochrome composition is replaced by multicolored canvases. Color enriches the story that Picasso gives to the character. In one of the options yellow in the figure of the Infanta endows her with an unearthly glow that resists an aggressive environment. In another, the child's face turns into a lifeless white triangle, a symbol of the death of any human feelings in an environment that lives by strict rituals. Picasso's painting, like the original source, is distinguished by purely pictorial finds, but it is their semantic content that makes it possible to objectively compare the paintings. Velázquez and Picasso interpret Las Meninas as a complex scene, full of almost literary content.

Other philosophy

The virtuoso realism of Velasquez and the language of Picasso's plastic symbols serve the same purpose - to display views of the world that correspond to their contemporary era. Therefore, it is difficult to detect semantic unity by comparing pictures. Las Meninas by Velázquez and Picasso belong to worlds that are often opposite. The question of the artist's opposition to the power of rituals and class differences, relevant for the 17th century, is transformed in the 20th century into the problem of the role of art in the modern world.

In his work, Picasso solves both global and particular problems. From a new perspective, the artist evaluates the family scene, which has a light pastorality in the original source. The duality of human nature, justified by the philosophers of the early 20th century, is clearly expressed by Picasso. His ladies-in-waiting may contain motives of malice and aggression, the marshal appears either as an ominous black silhouette, or as a symbol of Christian suffering. Even the dog in one case exudes comical immediacy, in the other it becomes a terrible wolf-like monster.

But this is only part of the philosophical aspects that are analyzed by the masters. The variety of problems raised, which the viewer decides for himself, is the main quality that the painting “Las Meninas” by Velazquez and Picasso has. it common property and all the work of two Spanish geniuses.

Freedom of Association

And yet, the difference in the approach to solving the creative problems of Picasso and Velasquez is very great. The category of the unconscious in art becomes decisive here, implicit in the regulated way of life of the 17th century and underlying the search for leaders of new pictorial trends in the 20th century. The painting "Las Meninas" by Velasquez and Picasso emphasizes this especially clearly. Based on the findings of the genius of the past, the leading avant-garde artist of the 20th century creates a world built on matters that are too dependent on his subconscious. It is difficult to believe in the awareness of every movement of Picasso's brush and the absolute thoughtfulness of any element of the canvas. In relation to Velazquez, this approach is more obvious.

Clinging to any, the most insignificant source element, Picasso comes to an amazing result. Having seen on the original a thin vertical line behind the back of the dwarf Nicolasito and drawing attention to the unusual position of his fingers, in one of the versions he creates the image of a puppet playing the harpsichord.

The freedom of association and the boundlessness of fantasy are especially striking if we compare the paintings. Velázquez and Picasso "Las Meninas" are filled with many allusions and references, and the choice of this masterpiece as a push for inspiration is absolutely not accidental. The connection of the two canvases through the centuries is obvious. The riddles that the masterpiece of the 17th century contained are solved in their own way by the canvas of the great avant-garde artist. At the same time, many of the problems that Picasso poses to the viewer are of a timeless nature.

Las Meninas, Picasso and Velazquez: comparison

What are the main differences between the two masterpieces?

• These paintings belong to different artistic styles. Velasquez - Baroque master, Picasso - leader of avant-garde art
• The original image strikes with realism, Picasso's characters are conditional.
• Picasso created the main canvas of the series in monochrome, Velazquez used a rich color palette.

They also have in common:

• Abstract by nature, Picasso's replica, like the original source, has a certain plot and history of the characters' relationships.
• The variety of issues raised, the main of which is the role of the artist and art in the world and society.

Philosophers, art historians are constantly arguing about the painting by Diego Velasquez. His "Menins" left behind many secrets and mysteries. This painting is a world masterpiece and is in the Prado Museum in Madrid.

The everyday atmosphere instead of the main hall was depicted by Velasquez ("Menins"). This picture of the painter can be called a scene from the life of the royal family. But in those distant times, even an ordinary aristocrat could not be drawn in everyday life.

The meaning of the picture philosophical overtones captivates the viewer. The artist surpassed his time with the complexity of composition, technical skill and magical charm.

Diego Velazquez. Seville period

In 1599, Diego Velazquez was born into a poor noble family. Exact date birth unknown, christening day - June 6th. His parents, immigrants from Portugal, settled in the Spanish city of Seville.

Velázquez's ability to draw showed up early. Father assigned him to the workshop famous artist F. Herrera. For the nobles in those days, painting was considered humiliating. The manual labor of the aristocracy was condemned. Herrera's stern nature became a cause for controversy. Soon Diego Velazquez found himself in another workshop - the artist Francisco Pacheco. His house has always been open to art lovers. Velazquez eventually received the title of master of painting and married Pacheco's daughter.

A happy marriage, fame - everything suggests that Diego Velasquez was successful in Seville. The paintings he painted on everyday topics gave impetus to the development of the bodegones genre. Occasionally he painted portraits, carried out church orders.

court painter

In the autumn of 1623, Velasquez took the position of court painter in the city of Madrid. The main works of that time are portraits of the courtiers and the royal family of Philip IV.

The meeting with the artist Rubens inspired Velazquez to travel to Italy. The king, taking into account the merits of the painter, soon appointed him a marshal. During that period great attention Velasquez paid attention to children's portraits. Las Meninas is one of the most famous paintings of that time. Subsequently, the king awarded the painter with the highest distinction - the knightly order of Santiago.

Velázquez's last known painting was a portrait Louis XIV, written in honor of his marriage to the Spanish Infanta. A few hours after the painting, Velasquez died.

Diego Velazquez. Paintings

The artist painted paintings of different genres - portraits, landscapes, domestic and historical sketches.

His life in Seville was replete with genre scenes from folk life. Such paintings as "The Old Cook", "The Water Seller" are very famous; religious canvases - "Christ in the House of Martha", "Immaculate Conception", "Adoration of the Magi".

The Madrid period is characterized by its ceremonial portraits (the first minister of Olivares, the king and members of his family). In Italy, a portrait of Pope Innocent X was painted. At the same time, Venus with a Mirror was created. The Spanish Inquisition severely condemned the image of a naked body. But the approval of this painting by Philip IV allowed Velázquez to avoid the wrath of the church.

"Venus with a Mirror" was written under the impression of Venetian painting. Twice in his life the artist visited Italy. The prototype for his Venus was the paintings of Rubens ("Venus in front of a mirror"), Giorgione ("Sleeping Venus"). There is a version that Velazquez's painting depicts the artist's beloved woman, Flaminia, and their common son. Duty to his wife and a stable job in Spain did not allow him to stay with his chosen one. However, in the painting "Spinners" one can notice the similarity of the girl sitting with her back to Venus.

Velazquez "Las Meninas". Description of the picture

The canvas was written in 1656-1657. It is still in Madrid, in the Prado Museum. The painting depicts the Infanta Margherita and her meninas (maids of honor). In the background, King Philip IV and Marianne of Austria, the parents of the Infanta, are reflected in the mirror. Court ladies and gentlemen, dwarfs, a dog and the artist himself - a small scene from palace life is depicted on the canvas.

The painting "Las Meninas" by Velasquez left behind many mysteries. The king and queen are presented together. However, according to etiquette, they were always drawn separately.

The size of the canvas the artist is working on is too large for portraiture. What kind of picture did Velazquez hide in Las Meninas?

The image of the floor, walls, ceiling with their rigid geometry take up too much space and seem out of place. Why did the artist pay so much attention to the gloomy shadows behind the Infanta and her surroundings?

Five-year-old Margarita seems too lonely in this huge room. Her childhood is spent in observance of strict Spanish etiquette, where laughter and smiles are forbidden.

Critics and artists of that time were surprised at such a realistic painting of the canvas. In those days, it was customary to smooth out images somewhat, to make the background more charming. So, "Sleeping Venus" by Giorgione is an idealized female image. Whereas Velasquez is pragmatic and realistic in his portraiture.

Painting mystery

Diego Velasquez wrote Las Meninas at a time when Margherita was the only heir to the king. This was not approved by Spanish law - only an infant could inherit the throne.

A year after the painting, Philip IV had a son and heir. Las Meninas became dangerous. Apparently, the figure of Velasquez himself was painted later and covered another hero of the canvas.

An x-ray of the painting in 1965 revealed the presence of another character, which subsequently had to be painted over.

According to one version, there was no artist on the canvas, but there was a page. He held out to the infanta a symbol of power - a royal baton, thereby hinting at her inheritance of the Spanish throne.

Therefore, after the birth of a male heir, the painting had to be destroyed. The artist, having changed the heroes, saved her life. Instead of a page with a staff, he portrayed himself.

Self-portrait of the artist

Often in the paintings, among the characters, the artists depicted themselves in the background or in the corner. It is akin to a master's signature. Velasquez did the same in his canvas. Las Meninas is the most authentic portrait of the painter. However, the Order of Santiago on his chest has not yet been received, why is he present in the picture? Perhaps it was painted later, when membership in the knightly order was legalized?

There is a version that the order was written after the death of Velasquez. Possibly by order of the king. But the order is written so accurately in the manner of Velasquez that there is no doubt about its authorship.

Maybe it's not the artist depicted in the picture? Because drawing an order on the chest when it has not been received is a serious offense for a court painter. And the knightly order of Santiago is too serious an organization. So who is on the canvas - the artist himself or another person? Art critics argue to this day about the writing of this picture. Will they be able to discover the truth?

The fate of Margarita

The life of Infanta Margarita was short-lived. She married the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. This happened in 1666. She was 14 years old, Leopold - 26.

According to contemporaries, it was a happy marriage. Husband and wife had common interests in art and music. Margarita gave birth to six children in 6 years of marriage. But only one girl survived - Maria Antonia.

Margarita died when she was 21 years old. Her burial is in Austria.

Conclusion

The painting got its name in the 19th century. Before that, when describing the works of Velazquez, she was called the "Royal Family" or "The Family of Philip VI".

Emphasized the beauty of the Infanta in his painting by Velasquez. "Las Meninas" creates a stark contrast between the radiance of the Marguerite and the setting. The deep philosophical content of the canvas, its secret meaning leave many mysteries.

Pablo Picasso painted 58 variations based on the painting in his own unique style. He proposed a new interpretation of Velasquez's canvas. Each character carries a double semantic load - good and evil. Heroes personify the two opposites of the world - life and death.