Las Meninas is considered one of the greatest paintings of all time by critics and casual admirers of art alike. It was painted during a time when Spain’s glory was declining, and Velázquez was surrounded by the remnants of a once-great court, which was now in shambles and debt. King Philip had entered depression, due to the fact that he did not have a suitable male heir to the throne and was bankrupted by the Thirty Years’ War, and paid little effort to governing his country. He had lost power, and his portrait in the mirror of Las Meninas illustrates the shadow of what Philip had once been. The center and main focus of the painting is La Infanta Margarita, Philip’s five-year-old daughter. Light streams through a window onto her face, illuminating her with a golden light. Two of her meninas, or ladies-in-waiting, are located on either side of the princess, one kneeling and offering her a glass of water with another rising from a curtsy. On the right side, the dwarf Mari-Bárbola and the midget Nicolas Pertusato stand, along with a brown dog. Behind them, a man and woman are in conversation. On the left side, a massive canvas looms over the group as Velázquez, the artist, stands behind it with his brush and palette. On the dark back wall, two paintings hang along with a mirror which reflects the countenances of the king and queen. A man stands in the doorway of a door in the back of the room, with his hand on a curtain as if he has just pulled it open. The room appears almost empty, save for the figures in it, and this emptiness is amplified by the room’s high ceiling. Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez’s masterpiece, Las Meninas, conveys a message telling of the crumbling political situation and uncertain future of Spain at the ...
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... La Infanta Margarita and her two attendants draw the viewer’s attention, but the dark backdrop dominates the painting with its sheer vastness as it towers over the figures in this scene that are clustered at the bottom. The viewer of the painting is placed in the eyes of the king and queen, as they stand both inside and outside of the painting, reflected in the mirror as observers only. They can watch this scene as the royal couple watched their country crumble because of government debt and loss of territories. Diego Velázquez had always wanted to paint the truth, whether in the bodegón paintings of his earlier years or in the royal portraits he was commissioned during his career as the court painter. He did so in Las Meninas, during the final decade of his life, by depicting the condition of Spain’s government through an informal day-to-day scene of palace life.
San Miguelito... It has what you like is officially founded April 14, 1597 by a group of tarascan Indians and Mexicans from the village of Tlaxcalilla, commanded by the Mexican Francisco Jocquinque. In the application of Foundation, approved by Luis Valderrama Saavedra, Mayor of San Luis Potosí, settled at the new town, you were granted 2 thousand 500 rods of land in table, measured from the orchard of the convent of San Francisco more or less in the present street of Pascual M. Hernandez. Quickly named a Government for the Administration and good order of the new settlement, initially consisting of a regular Mayor, one more Deputy and one or two topiles. Like other peoples of Indians and Spaniards in the territory of San Luis Potosí, San Miguelito was subject to the greater mayorship of San Luis Potosí, civil and ecclesiastical to the Franciscan order. Over time is avecindaron in the new town families of Otomi, mulattos, mestizos and blacks, which caused some friction. In the early years of the 17TH century settled in the place other two villages: San Francisco - also appointed in diminutive - and the Holy Trinity, and in the last decades of the century is also mentioned as part of its jurisdiction, San Juan de Guadalupe. These villages, until the beginning of the 19th century, were usually identified as part of the territory of the town of San Miguel. It is worth clarifying that since the 17TH century and until the beginning of the 19th the people as a whole was interchangeably known as San Miguel or the Holy Trinity, but from 1821 and until now has been preponderado the name of San Miguel, although expressed in diminutive: San Miguelito.
The central focus on the table, in the painting, is what it appears to look like a book of Sor Juana. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, is a huge Mexican, feminist icon. During the seventeenth century, while the Spanish still occupied mexican territory, The catholic church had a significant amount of power. Sor Juana challenged the church by being a controversial figure at the time by her being a well-educated woman, nun, and poet/writer, during a time where men were
...is the focal point with the orthogonal of the gestures of the apostles lining up towards it. Masaccio makes good use of chiaroscuro, since his figures have soft, round edges and their bodies are apparent under their drapery. The drapery shows creases and edges which allow for that to happen. Masaccio also employs directed lighting in which the sun comes from the right and all the figures’ shadows are to the left, which is what would happen in real life. Furthermore, Masaccio uses soft, subdued colors, such as green, blue, and pink. The mood of Massacio’s painting is static with all the figures standing in contrapposto with their one knee sticking out and the individuals in Classical and naturalistic proportions. Masaccio placed his scene in the recognizable Arno Valley. Also, Masaccio’s story has no disguised symbolism and rather depicts a straightforward story.
This painting is able to show in detail how emotional it was for the Spanish after the war. It flawlessly used colors and lighting to show importance of character. Goya was able to accurately demonstrate the patriotic view of the uprising and subsequent war, in which the Spanish cast the rioters of May second as defenseless heroes and innocent, modern-day martyrs and the French as brutal
...Kevin. "Velazquez, Las Meninas: Painting the Reader." Semiotica 2003.144 (2003): 87-100. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.
... study for the overall concept they appear rather as abstract patterns. The shadows of the figures were very carefully modeled. The light- dark contrasts of the shadows make them seem actually real. The spatial quality is only established through the relations between the sizes of the objects. The painting is not based on a geometrical, box like space. The perspective centre is on the right, despite the fact that the composition is laid in rows parallel to the picture frame. At the same time a paradoxical foreshortening from right to left is evident. The girl fishing with the orange dress and her mother are on the same level, that is, actually at equal distance. In its spatial contruction, the painting is also a successful construction, the groups of people sitting in the shade, and who should really be seen from above, are all shown directly from the side. The ideal eye level would actually be on different horizontal lines; first at head height of the standing figures, then of those seated. Seurats methods of combing observations which he collected over two years, corresponds, in its self invented techniques, to a modern lifelike painting rather than an academic history painting.
Throughout the piece, Lopez tone reflects a strong reverence for Pena, demonstrating his interest in the subject. For example, he describes how Pena’s work highlights the “soul of Bogota” and is a “hard, translucent jewel of integration” (Lopez). He emphasizes how he admires Pena’s ability to encapture the beauty
Picasso - The Dream is a rather unique piece of work at first glance, but the deeper you look into it the more there is to be revealed. Being a painting of one of Picasso's mistresses, you can get a broader look on the whole ideal. A mistress by definition is one who is not only having a sexual relationship with a usually married man for profit, love, lust, a sick game, whatever it may be, but also one who usually has to hide it for the sake of the man and other times for herself as well. I believe that's rather brilliantly portrayed in this painting, right down to the split two halves of this woman. On one half you have a charming woman that holds the upper class in high regard, modest but elegant in her own right while brimming in the light. Beautiful well pampered blonde hair cascading down her back, low key make up, not overly done but enough to be passable. A tight lower top, yet it covers her well, gives you a feeling of attraction and desire. A simple woman nestled into her shoulder, a nice blissful dream world, the mask protecting of who she really is inside. There's one thin...
images in this painting, all of which have the power to symbolize to us, the viewer, of the painter’s
When first approaching this work, one feels immediately attracted to its sense of wonder and awe. The bright colors used in the sun draws a viewer in, but the astonishment, fascination, and emotion depicted in the expression on the young woman keeps them intrigued in the painting. It reaches out to those who have worked hard in their life and who look forward to a better future. Even a small event such as a song of a lark gives them hope that there will be a better tomorrow, a thought that can be seen though the countenance by this girl. Although just a collection of oils on a canvas, she is someone who reaches out to people and inspires them to appreciate the small things that, even if only for a short moment, can make the road ahead seem brighter.
In conclusion, through his mural paintings full with complexity and depth, Diego Rivera recreates a new reality for the audience. `Zapata con el caballo de Cortés` is one of his most influential art pieces , significant in the process of understanding The Mexican Revolution
Latin America is rich with stories and legends. Many are said to have been originated from the time of the Conquistadors or the indigenous era. One story or legend that has surpass all other folklore and the times, in all parts of Latin America, is that of “the weeping woman” or best known as “La Llorona”. Her sad story is said to have originated in a small town in Mexico. It was said that in this small humble town, there lived an enchanting young girl. She was by far the most beautiful young girl in all the nearby villages. Just as her beauty was recognized through out all Mexico so to was her name. The older Maria got, her beauty seem to increase and sparkle like priceless rubies and gems. But unfortunately her heart was black and full of pride. No man was suitable and they were beneath her beauty to even be glanced by her eyes. Until one day there rode into town a dashing young stallion of a man riding on his half wild horse. Some say that he claimed to say “He thought it wasn't manly to ride a horse if it wasn't half wild”. http://www.literacynet.org/lp/hperspectives/llorona.html. This young man was not just handsome but wealthy and played the guitar while singing with his majestic voice. In one glance, Maria knew that this was the man she would marry. She didn’t make it easy for him to woo her. This young man would serenade beautiful melodies out side her window and present her with gifts from afar. Maria would ignore every thing the young man did to get her attention. Finally this young man conquered her love and it wasn’t long before they both got engaged and married. Years went by and Maria bore him two kids. This ...
Initially relieved that she and her husband are alone, Rodriguez’s mother is quickly disappointed, as her husband has left her for another woman. Later in a photograph, Rodriguez sees her mother with a coffee-dark V in the collar area of her neck, proof of hard labor during the Cuban Revolution. Above her head in the photo lies a painting of a saint with no head. After sending her children away in hopes of giving them a better life, Rodriguez’s mother is left working in the hot and sunny cane fields, which marks her with a coffee-colored tan. Rodriguez reveals her family’s Catholic religion through the painting of the saint, but without a head, the painting reveals her mother’s loss in faith due to the its failure to address her and other suffering laborers. With a loss of her faith, husband, and children, Rodriguez’s mother is left with one last person: her mother. However, while Rodriguez looks at the photograph, her
Overall, the book combined two central aspects to Velázquez career. It discussed not only the many different works which he created, but his life surrounding the production of these works. This concept is truly important in the understanding of the person behind the painting and certainly furthers the readers understanding of the Spanish Baroque. Furthermore, the straightforward manner of Brown's writing allowed the inexperienced reader of Baroque art understand and appreciate the time. This, ultimately was Brown's goal.
While looking at this sculpture it is transformed every time you move your own head, walk around it, and bend closer. It just has a way of changing shape. While looking at it, it first appeared to me as a man or some kind of creature. Looking at the name, one would realize what the sculpture is. The sculpture was a woman. It has a lot of rough and sharp points, but the surface was very smooth. It is kind of disturbing on how Picasso seems to see beneath the skin. He reveals the tendons in Fernande's neck. The fractured texture of Fernande's face, her hair a system of gorges and upland ridges, is a metaphor for the way we experience another person. (Hughs) Like Rembrandt's most intimate portraits, it is about the mystery of being close to another human being. (Cooper) Picasso makes you recognize this by inviting your eye down into those channels and crevices, until you feel you are inside Fernande's head. You can never exhaust the richness of this head. (Hughs)