After having made some research on Leonardo da Vinci, I am going to look into Diego Velázquez, an artist of the Baroque period (Spanish Golden Age), considered by many to be the most talented painter of all time, his importance began to be recognized 2 centuries after his death. His most outstanding works are currently part of the permanent collection of the Prado Museum, in Madrid.
Velázquez was born in 1599 in Seville and died in Madrid in 1660, carrying out his works in the first half of the 17th century.
Diego Velázquez's work is divisible into two stages: Seville and Madrid
Seville stage (1599-1623)
Velázquez had Pacheco as his teacher. With him he learned to be a great draftsman and to organize the compositions. The first works he made belong to tenebrism (Italian trend that comes from Caravaggio), whose charachteristics are the following:
- Realism.
- Light contrasts.
- Diagonal composition.
The themes that Velázquez painted in this first stage are religious and also popular, drawn from everyday life. During this period of time, some of his most well-known paintings are: worship the three wise men, the elderly woman frying eggs ...
he was employed as a chamber painter of Felipe IV and as time passed he got better jobs. During this period he continued his training as a painter, taking as reference the pictorial galleries of the Madrid Court. In addition, at this stage he meets the flamenco genius Rubens. During this period of time, some of his most well-known paintings are: Joseph's robe, the Forge of Vulcano, las Lanzas o la Rendición de Breda ...
Apart from these two stages, it is also important to highlight the most peculiar and representative characteristics of Velázquez's painting are:
- Using the aerial perspective.
- Depth.
- Painting "alla prima", that is, without making sketches. For this reason, the corrections were made on the go and it is evident in the numerous "regrets" in his paintings.
As it comes next, I am going to make a small research on a few paintings of Velázquez:
LAS MENINAS
The meninas dates from 1656. Its complex and enigmatic composition raises questions about reality and illusion, and creates an uncertain relationship between the viewer and the figures depicted. Because of these complexities, Las Meninas has been one of the most widely analyzed works in Western painting.
The central character and protagonist is the Spanish Infanta Margarita Teresa of Austria (1651-1673), surrounded by: her servants called "meninas", personalities of the nobility and Velázquez himself.
Personally, the painting reminds me of the power that the monarchy has over the population. The drawing places the princess in the middle of the picture and all the servants around her.
Another aspect that drew my attention when looking at the painting is the servant, Velázquez (the man with the red cross on his chest) and the man on the bottom because they are all staring at the viewer of the painting. From my personal opinion, I think that these characters are trying to make you think about the drawing.
THE TRIUMPH OF BACCHUS
Bacchus, the Greek god of wine also known as Dionysus, is the protagonist of this canvas, commissioned by King Felipe IV of Spain. The occurrence of carrying out a work on a mythological theme arises from the admiration that the artist created, the works of the Caravaggio, among other Italian paintings. The canvas was painted in Madrid and wants to present a fusion between the Greek "deities" (the three characters on the left) and the mundane (the 5 on the right).
The importance of this work is that it marks a before and after in the painter's career, since it was Velázquez's first serious foray into the mythological genre, he would never again detach himself from the subject, until his last days.
The expertise to make the multiple portrait rescued her from her years in Seville as an expert portrait painter and religious genre painter, where she came to compose highly complex works.
The treatment of light on the protagonist and his companions, makes the main character stand out, and provides magnificent contrasts of light and shadow to the others. Naturalism is combined with realism and the mythological concept. This mixture gives the work a highly original character for the time.
Personally, I feel pride when I see the picture. From my point of view, the main character, who wears underwear, is praysing the man on his knees, while everybody is around them watching the scene.
WORSHIP THE THREE WISE MEN
Pictorial interpretation of the Christian tradition, the visit of the three wise men from the east, to the Messiah born in Bethlehem of Judea.
The composition features detailed shadow work and remarkable realism. It shows Saint Joseph, the Virgin Mary, a shepherd and the three magicians adoring the child and carrying their respective gifts.
Maria is presented as a beautiful young woman looking and holding the child in her lap. Saint Joseph appears as a man with a weathered face, looking at his wife's face, as though wondering: "What should I expect from now on?"
Personally, this picture clearly reminds of the Christian tradition that I celebrate year after year. The picture conveys tranquility and quietness as it shows an image that I am used to seeing since I was born and I can easily relate to it.
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