Art is the Solution

The Crucified Christ Source: Museo del Prado In the history of Western art, there are few painters better known and more revered than Diego Velazquez. Perhaps only the likes of Michelangelo, van Gogh, and Picasso are more famous; Velazquez is certainly the most important painter in the history of Spain. While Velazquez is best known for Las Meninas —a truly astonishing portrait—it is far from his only masterpiece. Velazquez’s Crucified Christ is a deeply moving and unique piece. As the title suggests, it depicts Christ’s crucifixion. He hangs dead upon the cross, radiating holy light. His body is painted in the polished perfection of classical style, yet Velazquez didn’t shy away from painting Christ’s pain and suffering. Blood runs down his face and his head hangs low. As the Prado Museum describes the painting, “The presence of a wound in his side, which occurred after Christ’s death, indicates that he has already expired, yet he seems to be holding his body in check on the Cross, ...

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 th...