Magnum Opus

La familia de Felipe IV

Diego Velázquez. 1656

Oil on canvas. 310x276 cm.

Museo del Prado. Madrid

               Las Meninas or The maids of honor, also known by its original name “The family of Philip IV”, is a 1656 painting by Diego Velázquez, the leading painter in the court of Philip IV and the most representative artist of the Spanish Baroque. His work in the court was to paint portraits of the king and the Royal Family members. Few of them had attractive faces so the task was not very pleasant for a painter but Velázquez turned these portraits into fascinating paintings by his creative skill.

                This artwork is recognized as his magnum opus. We can say that Velázquez was able to capture a moment long before the invention of photography. The painting shows a large room in the Madrid Royal Palace and in the foreground present several people from the court, one of them is the young Infanta Margaret Theresa surrounded by her entourage. Some look out the canvas toward the viewer while others interact among themselves. The figure that holds the palette and brushes is Velázquez. He paints himself working on a large canvas the portrait of the King and Queen. In the background of the scene we see the models reflected in the mirror remarked with a frame. They appear to be placed outside the picture space, in a similar position to the viewer. Somehow we, the observers, become the King and Queen and we are being portrayed by Velázquez.

                Therefore the conclusion is that the complex and enigmatic composition arouses de curiosity of the observer by the play between reality and illusion. Velázquez creates a relationship between the viewer and the figures depicted.

VOCABULARY

Word in english	Word in spanish
Artist	Artista
Artwork	Obra de arte
Background	Fondo
Baroque	Barroco
Brush	Pincel
Canvas	Lienzo
Composition	Composición
To depict	Representar
Figure	Figura
Foreground	Primer plano
Frame	Marco
Magnum opus	Obra maestra
Model	Modelo
Oil	Oleo
Painter	Pintor
Painting	Cuadro
Palette	Paleta
Portrait	Retrato
Scene	Escena
Viewer	Observador