Las Hilanderas by Diego Velázquez (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Las Hilanderas
Source: Wikimedia Commons
In the history of Spanish art, there is one name that stands out: Diego Velázquez. Velázquez is commonly regarded as the greatest of Spanish painters, only matched in talent and ingenuity by the likes of Francisco Goya and Pablo Picasso. Velázquez’s work is world renowned, and I would venture to say that his masterpiece, Las Meninas, is one of the most famous paintings in the world (it’s certainly in the top ten, if not the top five).

The painting I’m going to discuss today, which is entitled Las Hilanderas (The Spinners) dates from the latter portion of his career, by which time Velázquez was well established in his role of court painter. At this point in his life, Velázquez had developed a well defined and confident style, which was marked by expressive brushstrokes and a sense of visual dynamism.

Las Hilanderas depicts the story of Arachne, a legend from Greek mythology. According to legend, a mortal woman named Arachne challenged the goddess Athena to a weaving competition. When Arachne won, the jealous goddess transformed her into a spider. The women in the foreground of Las Hilanderas represent this tale; however the painting is more complex than it may appear at first glance.

Velázquez made the strange and interesting choice to portray Arachne and Athena as contemporary Spanish, peasant women during a time in which it was more popular to depict the subjects of Greek myths in flowing, classical robes. The women’s surroundings are equally recognizable. They seem to be in a palace chamber (Velázquez was a court painter for the Spanish royal family), and it is possible to see richly dressed women standing in the background examining the tapestries that the women are supposedly producing.

Here, Velázquez uses mythological iconography to mask his own commentary. While art historians have debated the underlying meaning of the painting, I personally believe that it represents some sort of class commentary. The women in the foreground—the peasants—are usually the people who are hidden in the background. Yet, here, Velázquez reveals them for what they truly are, the producers of all the fine and luxurious things that the rich enjoy. Here, he celebrates the hard work that fuels Spanish society.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges by Henri Matisse (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Image
Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges Source: Pinterest French artist Henri Matisse is rather famous for his paintings of goldfish. In fact, one of his most famous paintings, entitled Goldfish , depicts several of the aforementioned fish swimming in a bowl. Matisse is one of the most famous artists of the twentieth century. His work is closely associated with the Fauvist movement and is generally characterized by great energy and rich, intense colors. Based on my research , Matisse began painting goldfish after he traveled to North Africa. In Morocco, Matisse observed locals watching goldfish swim in their bowls as they sunk into a meditative state. The fish subsequently became a symbol for this sense of tranquility, coming to represent an idyllic version of the world only accessible through joyous day-dreams. These calming fish are prominent in this painting, which is entitled Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges (which translates to The Cat With Red Fishes ). However, the serene energy of the fish
Read more

Mural La Plena by Rafael Tufiño (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Image
Mural la Plena Source: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico Today I want to chat about a monumental piece of art that I recently had the pleasure of seeing at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. As the name suggests, Mural La Plena is a massive mural, fifteen by thirty feet in size, that was created by Puerto Rican artist Rafael Tufiño to commemorate la plena, a wildly popular genre of music that was born in the city of Ponce around 1900. The mural, which might appear abstract or incomprehensible to a viewer unfamiliar with the subject matter, illustrates the lyrics of popular plena songs. For example, the blue-green figure that dominates the upper half of the mural represents the hurricane from the plena “Temporal,” which mourns the destruction caused by a storm. Plena, as a genre, tells stories. According to my research , the lyrics come from current events, re-telling the stories that affected the lives of the people of Ponce. It began as a way for people of low socio-economic sta
Read more

Five Puerto Rican Artists You Should Know

-
Image
The island of Puerto Rico has a long and vibrant artistic tradition. Western, Indigenous, and African cultures have all left their mark on Puerto Rican art, creating a colorful and unique visual legacy. While Puerto Rican artists have demonstrated their excellence throughout the years— from the creators of the captivating Taino petroglyphs to the sophisticated and subtle works of the Modernist painters—Puerto Rican art has received little attention from art historians and the wider art world. Here are five underappreciated Puerto Rican artists that you should know: 1. José Campeche José Campeche is often known as the first Puerto Rican painter in the Western history of fine arts. He was primarily known for his religious paintings and his portraits of elite Puerto Ricans, and today his work is recognized as some of the finest examples of Rococo art produced in the Americas. Campeche’s personal story is also inspiring. The son of a slave who had purchased his own freedom, Campech
Read more