Diego Velázquez’s View on Status Through Las Meninas

Abstract

Much of the scholarly writing about Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas, completed in 1656, relates to how information about Velázquez helps generate a better understanding of the painting, opposed to how one’s interpretation of the painting can yield a better understanding of Velázquez. There is no traditional drama from myth or the bible in Las Meninas, unlike those of typical artworks from the seventeenth century. Instead, Velázquez set a scene in which multiple subjects stand by as a painter works. Without a dramatic reference to guide the viewer’s thought process, we are left with the focal points the artist curates to investigate the piece. Is Velázquez making a statement about status? Why did Velázquez want himself in the painting? Why would Velázquez want the viewer to be asking questions? By understanding the intricacies that Velázquez intentionally embedded in Las Meninas, one can infer that Velázquez was concerned about status and believed he was important enough to be a vital part of the painting.