Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas
Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, a group portrait of the court of Spanish King Philip IV Habsburg (8 April 1605 - 17 September 1665), is definitely one such work. The painting specifically represents Velázquez’s techniques well which is characterized by great drama, rich, deep color and intense light and dark shadows. It is absolutely extraordinary and implies influences Velázquez has had, especially Flemish and Baroque realism. Velázquez had a deeper purpose in his mind when creating this masterpiece. He wanted to earn the title that can ensure him a high position in society. So, Velázquez had this desire for an aristocratic title better than any other single court positions he could get.
Diego Velázquez was born in Seville, Spain. In the childhood, he already showed his talent in art and was sent to learn more from Francisco Herrera (1576 - 1656), a great painter at that time. However, Velázquez wanted a freedom of painting so that he joined Francisco Pacheco’s (3 November 1564 - 27 November 1644) studio, where he can paint without any limitations, meaning that he could paint whatever and however he wanted to. This early childhood experience with the great painters at that time helped him…show more content… So, the infanta may have been brought in for the royal couple who might have been tired of sitting still for so long. The words of a king or queen were often treated as a command, and Velázquez may have included her for them. Because Velázquez spent most of his professional life in the Spanish court, he could get intimacy with the king and queen. Because he was very talented, it was obvious to see why King Philip IV wanted Velázquez to paint his portrait. Velázquez was influenced by Flemish painters and Velázquez’s work has influenced others. Las Meninas has influenced many other painters, including another famous Spanish painter such as