Las Meninas

For my blog post this week, I intend to give my interpretation of this piece of artwork. I remember seeing this painting for the first time in art class last year. This amazing masterpiece, Las Meninas, was done by Diego Velazquez in 1656. Here's the interpretation that I had last year. I think that the little girl that is the center of attention is a princess since she is dressed in elegant clothing fit for royalty. She is obviously very significant since she is the most radiant in the picture. The other girls in her picture might be her sisters. They are possibly preparing for some type of special occasion.

Velasquez is a very creative artist. If you look in the background, you can see what appears to be a painting on the wall. However, appearances can be deceptive. I think that the "picture" is really a mirror since it stands out among the other paintings on the wall. In the mirror, you can see a man and a woman in the background, most likely the little girl's parents. Velasquez is trying to make the spectator of the artwork feel as if they are in the scene; he makes you think that it is actually your reflection in the mirror. Also, he must have a sense of self-importance since the painter in the background is Velasquez himself. He also uses bright colors to draw the onlooker to the bottom half of the painting where all the activity is taking place.

Back then, I did not know the meaning Las Meninas. I just used a Spanish English translator and I found out that it means the maids of honor. So, my new interpretation of what is happening is that the man and the woman in the mirror are a bride and a groom. The little girls are the maids of honor for their wedding. They are possibly in a church which is why there is a nun. Artwork is a subject with no wrong answers for interpretation. Everyone interprets it in a different and creative way.