|
LAS MENINAS BY DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ
Finished in 1656, according to
Palomino, who did not indicate
when it was begun. The apparent
age of the Infanta, born on 12
July 1651, bears out the date
reported by Palomino; it also
suggests that the execution of
this large composition could not
have taken too long.
Damaged in the fire that
destroyed the Madrid AlcAzar in
1734, and restored by the Court
painter Don Juan Garcia de
Miranda (1677-1749). The most
obvious restoration, noticeable
to the naked eye, concerns the
left cheek of the Infanta which
was almost entirely redone.
X-rays made in 1960 revealed
that this restoration recovers a
rather large loss of pigment.
Other large scratches in less
important areas are also visible
under X-rays. The canvas has
been cut down on both sides,
notably on the right.
The painting's richness of hue
and texture has been
substantially dulled during the
last twenty years or so, due to
unmitigated exposure of
pollution, common to all the
Prado galleries, aggravated in
this instance by the fact that
till 1978 the large canvas has
been on show in a comparatively
small room, almost constantly
crowded with visitors.
Velazquez himself is seen at the
easel; the mirror on the rear
wall reflects the half-length
figures of Philip IV and Queen
Mariana standing Linder a red
curtain. The Infianta Margarita
is in the centre, attended by
two meninas, or maids of honour,
Dofia Isabel de Velasco and
Dofia Maria Augustina
Sarmiento,who curtsy as the
latter offers her mistress a
drink of water in a bficaro - a
reddish earthen vessel - on a
tray. In the right foreground
stand two dwarfs, Mari-BArbola
and Nicolds de Pertusato, the
latter playfully placing his
foot on the back of the mastiff
which is resting on the floor.
Linked to this large group there
is another one formed by Dofia
Marcela de Ulloa, guardamujer de
las damas de la Reina attendant
to the ladies-in-waiting - and
an unidentified guardadamas, or
escort to the same ladies. In
the background, the aposentador,
Palace marshall, to the Queen,
Don Jose Nieto Velazquez, stands
on the steps leading into the
room from the door. The two
large pictures hanging on the
rear wall represent Pallas &
Arachne and Apollo & Pan painted
by Mazo.
|
