Once You See This Painting You Can't Unsee It

Check out Vessi's Memorial Day sale and Vessi styles at www.vessi.com/artdeco. If you missed the sale, Use code ARTDECO for 15% off your order. Free shipping for CA, US, AU, JP, TW, KR, SGP. Thanks Vessi for sponsoring this video!
This piece is called Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez. One of the most famous and controversial paintings in the world. In the center of the painting is the five-year-old princess, Infanta Margarita Teresa. To her left and right are her ladies-in-waiting (meninas) and the rest of her entourage surrounds her. Don José Nieto Velázquez stands in the backlit doorway, ascending or descending the stairs on the back wall. We can also see two hazy figures staring back at us. This is King Philip IV of Spain and Queen Mariana. To the left of the painting is the artist himself, Diego Velázquez. But what is he painting? The answer to this question is still a mystery more than 350 years later.
Velázquez depicts a bright future in the idealized depiction of Margarita who was the only living heir at the time. But the reality was much more bleak. Thank you so much for watching!
#art #arthistory #lasmeninas #velázquez #classicart #fineart
Credits:
Arcadia - Wonders by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Smoke and rain effect from Vecteezy

[@Art_Deco]

Check out Vessi's Memorial Day sale and Vessi styles at www.vessi.com/artdeco. If you missed the sale, Use code ARTDECO for 15% off your order. Free shipping for CA, US, AU, JP, TW, KR, SGP. Thank you Vessi for sponsoring this video!

[@clairefitzpatrick7183]

Fun fact the second dwarf painting you showed looks exactly like my partner.😀 He's also a professional artist lol

[@jc3drums916]

You are the undisputed master of the YT ad segue, lol

[@WobblesandBean]

I wish I had that skill. His style is loose yet tight, painterly yet supremely detailed and realistic, effortless but intricately and painstakingly planned down to every last detail.

[@c3N3q]

I'd say you can describe pretty well what you like. The "skills" is just practice.

[@julialewis8794]

I wish I had that dog 😊

[@Laocoon283]

Well... I mean if you spend every hour of every day from childhood to middle age you would prolly be able to make some really good stuff. Too bad only rich people are allowed to devote their lives to hobbies.

[@c3N3q]

Painting is actually fairly easy, as opposed to eg. playing an instrument. You can paint at your own speed, reshape and paint over... There's tons of videos on KZbin on how to paint. Bit of perspective, bit of drawing (objects from basic geometrical shapes) and colour theory (colour wheel). You can paint decent stuff in no time.

[@Laocoon283]

@@c3N3q Well of course painting is fairly easy everything is fairly easy the problem is painting WELL is not fairly easy. You can apply that same logic to music too. There are tons of piano tutorials on youtube and in little to no time you too can play Mary had a little lamb...

[@shroomyk]

It is ironic that Hapsburgs wanted to keep power, but then extreme inbreeding leads to sterility or very fragile babies that do not survive. In an effort to keep their line, they killed it. The same happened with King Tutankhamun and his family.

[@c.w.8200]

The HABSBURGS didn't know about genetics just like everyone else back then and the strategy that got them from being a minor house holding a small province to Holy Roman emperors was marrying their children off strategically, unfortunately when they were extremely powerful this led to incest matches because they could otherwise only marry down not up like they used to and also most noble houses in Central and Western Europe had Habsburg genes in the mix at that point. Let's not pretend that all the other noble houses in Europe and even commoners were beyond incestuous marriages back then, it was common to marry cousins decades into the 20th, even Charles Darwin married his own cousin.

[@jpor7259]

A big problem was the geopolitical reality of the time. Britain and half of Germany had become Protestant, while Italy was just a vassal of Spain. A Habsburg did not marry servants or Protestants. The only family of equal dignity and Catholic faith for them was the Bourbons, whom they had literally spent an entire century trying to murder. The political circumstances forced them into incest.

[@myriamickx7969]

It was "de rigueur” for Egyptian pharaos to marry their sisters. In Europe, starting from the medieval era, there was always a certain degree of inbreeding among the ruling family, but no one pushed it further than the Habsburgs.The last king Charles II suffered from a genetic disease which rendered him (thankfully) infertile, and he was reportedly never able to learn to read or write. If you take a good look at the Windsor family, there's some serious inbreeding there as well.

[@shroomyk]

@@myriamickx7969 Oh for sure. Even the late Queen and Prince Philip were 2nd cousins. Not too bad, but still closer than I'd like to be with my own family. lol Of course Victoria and Albert were 1st cousins, IIRC. And on and on.

[@Sacration]

​@@c.w.8200Doesnt make it less weird and gross. It also doesnt change the fact that they killed their own, u do not need genetics to know that marrying procreate in your own familly tree is gross, weird and will have some conséquences

[@andrewedris2800]

I don't understand how anyone could think Las Meninas is boring or cringey. It's a combination of "you are there" realism and Velasquez' sense of humor by creating a puzzle of multiple perspectives in the mirrors. If not for Velasquez how else would we know what these tragic people looked?

[@Haghenveien]

I'm spanish so I have obviously studied Las Meninas at school. But seeing them in real life is on a whole new level. It's just breathtaking. I have gone to El Prado three times and it have awed me everytime. It's a very big painting and you can see it way before you enter in the room. And just for a moment is like those people were just there. It's an experience that if you have the chance to live, I totally recomend.

[@AG-iu9lv]

Thank you for this engaging description! I will make it a point to go there. If you ever find yourself in Tampa, Florida, I suggest you go to the Salvador Dalì museum. It's the closest experience I've had to the one you described seeing Las Meninas.

[@maried3717]

Horrifying that this young girl was used and abused until she was 21 and died from her 7th pregnancy! Disgusting history. I have seen a copy of this painting and could never have imagined.

[@umang3227]

You got me into art history. Your style of narration is superb.

[@Art_Deco]

That’s amazing. Thank you!

[@tarahbutler2169]

She the best!!

[@KouNagai]

i litterally had zero interest about art history before this channel. but now i am watching every video of this channel, incredible

[@Miss_Camel]

The whole ‘juice box” bit has had me snort laughing

[@jackx4311]

The narrator sounds like a second-rate robot.

[@on_spikes6867]

please never change your microphone. it kind of adds a unique character to your videos

[@gracev8762]

What way does the mic make her voice different?

[@Vtuber_Xantherous]

@@gracev8762 It's the room she records and the echo. A little on the mic-- which honestly sounds wonderful to me as well.

[@marilynmcconnell-twiss3046]

I find the sound quite distracting and kind of 'blurred' almost to the point the point of giving up.

[@mtbootz1849]

@@marilynmcconnell-twiss3046 Agreed. I looked for closed captions. Finding them unavailable, I'll just move on to another video.

[@soyjoyy]

This echo makes her sounds like she is a guide in a museum telling us about famous paintings. I think it fits the theme of the chanel incredibly well.

[@Flying-Maytree]

I remember the first time I looked at a digital version of this painting. I zoomed in on the dog and all I could see were a few smears of black and brown paint. Then I zoomed out a bit and suddenly -- DOG! The whole dog is just a suggestion really, not a figure, but it's so masterfully done you can clearly see DOG. It's amazing.

[@brettvonhenneberg-romhild3535]

How clever of Valesquez. We are an observer of a painting being painted by a painter observing the observed in a painting by observers while painting himself. He's communicating with us over centuries.

[@theproplady]

Velazquez's painting hand looks like a motion blur. Like the painting is catching him in mid-stroke. Adds life and action to the scene.

[@limecilla7612]

It's interesting because Velazquez also experiments with portraying movement in his other painting "Las hilanderas" or "El triunfo de Aracne". There, the spinning wheel on the foreground has also a blur effect to convey movement. And that was happening more than 200 years prior to cinema! As Manet said, Velazquez is truly the painter of painters.

[@frogsoda]

​@@limecilla7612Not completely related. But I like to photograph dancers and when I do I like to portray them in motion. But the dancers don't seem to like it.😅 Then I looked at the dance photography of Michal Baryshnikov. It's almost all motion blur. It's phenomenal!

[@ryanmichael7007]

"An arranged marriage to a man that's both her maternal uncle and paternal cousin." That sentence broke me.

[@windycityliz7711]

Along with died at 21 during her 7th pregnancy :(

[@randomuser3209]

A print of this painting used to hang in my parents' living room and I remember always thinking something was off. Thanks for making me understand it better!

[@susanma4899]

When you were describing the way Velazquez had painted his own hand, I thought--it's like he's painting a blur, as if his hand were in motion. But of course this painting predates the camera...it's amazing that he would've thought of doing this. Genius.

[@TOPDadAlpha]

I had the honor to view this paining in person last January... I stood there for 20 minutes or so. It is absolutely amazing and beautiful. It is much much larger then one would think also.

[@milaces1323]

I actually have a photo as a five year-old standing beneath the painting, strangers took photos of me because i was the same height as the infanta 😅

[@celestenova777]

What an entertaining video stacked with info on this wonderful painting. Thanks for your work, always a joy to watch.

[@Art_Deco]

Thank you!!

[@robin2012ism]

@@Art_Deco I concur.

[@alialluaibi3008]

The painting is like a mirror through time in which we stair through to the moment the painting is being made while the people in the painting staring back at us creating a moment of back and forth !

[@someuncreativity]

completely unrelated, i love the scenes you made of the people in the room basically arguing with each other, i honestly kinda wish more art history videos had that

[@maidpretty]

Habsburg Jaw was strong with this one.

[@ThePowerflake]

Velasquez seems to have that same jaw.

[@jwoolman5]

But the little girl didn't seem to display it noticeably to me. Did the artist adjust it or did it just take puberty to make the characteristic long face show in her?

[@SerenityChaos1975]

Picasso was actually obsessed with this painting. He created a huge amount of drawings and studies of the painting, many of which are on display at the Picassom museum in Barcelona

[@bluewren65]

Not just studies, but a whole series of finished paintings.

[@verucasalt9182]

A visit to El Prado museum is a must for any art admirer.

[@Dana-712FifthAve]

It really is ❤

[@globalheart]

I SO enjoy YOUR creations!!!!😂 Thank you again, historically informative as well as keenly observant, and may i say, riotously entertaining! 🤣❤

[@Art_Deco]

Thank you!

[@fmor2779]

Move over Mona Lisa indeed! A lot of people considered the painting unimpressive until someone decided to steal it thinking nobody would notice the painting's absence. Las Meninas has a lot more to unpack, although A Bar at the Folies-Bergère will always be one of my favorites!

[@skarbuskreska]

It was seen as unimpressive because it didn't depict anyone important, they were and are not sure till this day who it depicts. But the techniques were impressive enough for the time. I see though why people might find it boring, not much happening in there and a normal woman depicted without anything special like some bling bling or a great hairstyle to look at. Not lively enough like the Impressionists paintings.

[@Yoda8945]

I saw the painting Las Meninas Adel Prado and viewed it with my back to the painting and from a mirror. In that viewing, it is positively 3D. That was over 50 years ago and that impression has remained with me!

[@jillwanlin9558]

Even though you don’t post often, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it when you do. I absolutely ❤ this channel. As for the painting, as soon as I saw the princess, I thought, ok, Hapsburg family here??? As far as Diego Velasquez and his message here, I definitely saw it as bragging rights.

[@wordforger]

Right? The entire family has the chin.

[@jillwanlin9558]

@@wordforger definitely. The forehead too I think.

[@anu15155]

Can't express how much I love your video style. I've looked long for videos on art and art history that weren't too academic or too dumbed down. This is perfect! Also absolutely adore your humour.

[@princecharon]

Yes, the dog is certainly adorable. Velázquez was an amazing painter.

[@NectereYT]

I really enjoy this channel and look forward to your lighthearted and informative reviews. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and humor in such an entertaining way.

[@DulceN]

Thanks so much for this video. Diego Velázquez and I were born in Seville, Spain, and we are very proud of this great artist.

[@superj-man137]

The segway into the sponsor was *chef's kiss" perfect!

[@laurenelizabeth_9745]

I’m so glad you mentioned how cute the puppy is, when I first saw this painting in my art history class that was my first reaction to it lol

[@livysouza1983]

Las meninas é uma pintura barroca, do século XVII, cuja característica mais marcante é o equilíbrio entre luz e escuridão. Um exemplo perfeito de antítese.

[@kikidevine694]

Chiaroscuro!

[@braviansamuelpanderaja5723]

The master piece of a art!

[@j.towles5376]

I remember seeing this painting as a kid in person back in the early 90s when I went to Spain. Many years later as an adult I saw it on the internet and completely forgot where I’d originally seen it. I studied and researched it for years before I remembered where I’d originally seen it.

[@mikeemery6741]

I stumbled upon this video by accident. How marvelously entertaining! I thoroughly enjoyed your narrative and instructive presentation ~ Don't change a thing! I shall return!

[@bamauthor]

You're right. I have always found this painting intriguing. The element of the unknown combined with the contrast of dark and light color keeps drawing the eye into the painting. One feels compelled to stare.

[@elledevon]

Okay, just so you know, the dress was not “poofy” during this time period women had an under structure called Pannier it was a cage that held the dress out on either side and yes the size mattered. (And yes I am an expert in historical costume.)Also in regard to the feet, they may have not been visible due to the size of the panniers or perhaps in shadow to add to the illumination of the central figure.

[@zantas-handle]

Thank you for that. There's a few 'dodgy facts' in this vid, and some assertions that ought to be preceded by 'I think' or 'It's possible that'.

[@goldeneddie]

The trouble is with these interpretations, I always wonder how much is just guesswork? I mean, when we say 'By doing X, Velasquez wanted to say Y' do we really know that, or is it just an interpretive guess? Including the Reubens paintings in the background could just be an homage, like the mirror is, and nothing to do with claiming that he had 'reached the same level' as Reubens. I think we need to distinguish between what we KNOW, what is SYMBOLIC, and what is only SUGGESTED.

[@nf1619]

I missed these sooo much!! ♥

[@nodemons]

I wish I'd had references like this when I was doing art history growing up, even though I eventually garnered most of this information, it's your presentation that makes it relatable and exciting!

[@renesagahon4477]

Las Meninas. One of the greatest masterpieces of all time

[@Kristy_cat]

I live in Madrid and every time I go to the Prado, I always go look at this painting. It’s one of my favorites!!

[@PeterTea]

I had the good fortune of seeing this painting in Madrid. It’s not enough to just see such a great work but to understand the context of why it is heralded as such. And you do a great job of that. Thanks.

[@lollipoplemur5073]

I’ve always admired this painting. Now I have even more reason to love it. Thank you!!

[@kimmi2662]

Really love this channel, thank you for all the hardwork behind the scenes, to bring us into the paintings!

[@nysaakolkar6897]

wow your channel deserves so many more views and subscribers

[@Art_Deco]

Thank you!! Maybe we can get to a million subscribers one day. That would be a dream 😍

[@nysaakolkar6897]

@@Art_Deco I really hope that happens fingers crossed By the way I love your video's so keep going

[@ShirleeKnott]

agree!!!!

[@yamataichul]

I hope you get to make more of these videos. You reminded me of highschool, of history art classes and many of your points are not only similar to my experiences on those classes but sometimes identical like in this video. Education about arts is universal but mostly carried by those who chose to focus on literal textbook presentations.

[@JasExists]

I really look forward to your videos, they're always so informative and entertaining! Also, can i say you have the best way of introducing your sponsors :D

[@marilyn8490]

Yes, Las Meninas is the size of the canvas you see Velásquez painting here. It is huge...and yet hard to see in person because of the huge number of tourists who stop on group tours to see this!

[@middletech]

I don’t understand how art of the last century was the highest paid art ever when old masters like this exist.

[@sixwingsram]

Thank you so much for posting this showing his artist brilliance. He indeed is the painter of painters🔥💜🔥

[@mommachupacabra]

Never thought of Vasquez as the progenitor of Impressionism! Amazing, thank you!

[@anaz5918]

Velasquez.

[@verucasalt9182]

@@anaz5918 Velazquez .

[@mandiemoore3272]

The artist grasp of then now and future is breathtaking

[@jasonbland7383]

I always enjoy your analysis... keep it up. Glad I stumbled across your channel recently!

[@readpostcard]

Love how you go into each area. I try and guess what you will be talking about but never get it right. Awesome channel. Thank you for all your hard work😊

[@a.duncan6791]

Nicely done. You have the knack of changing direction when we least expect it. It keeps my attention for fear I'll lose information if my mind wanders. I'll check out your other posts.

[@feliciasjoberg9886]

"..little girl giving us serious side eye.." 👀 Missed opportunity to say "bombastic side eye" *just kidding* LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!

[@teacherjoe7019]

I had seen pictures of Las Meninas in books when I was young. When I was older, on a guided tour tour of the Prado, I saw the painting and learned its story. The painting is so large in real life. Amazing!

[@johnguild8850]

Wow, after your video I'll never look at this painting the same way again. Thanks!

[@enyalacerate2521]

I obviously wasn't there when this artist was creating this painting, but yes, that pupper was indeed an adorable good boy/girl. 💗💞

[@davidanderson_surrey_bc]

John Wick quality.

[@kevwills858]

Nice channel.. Im just an old mechanic in 🇦🇺 who stumbled upon a year ago(ish) Im by no means an Artist and posess none ... You intruige me with your attention to detail (something even a mechanic needs) but brushstrokes, the tools and pigments of bygone eras captivate my attention (along with your knowledge) Keep teaching us dummies 101 😄✌

[@enucxus]

You're almost half a million! looking forward to your success. this channel deserves recognition. i love your content, keep up the good work! keep on sharing all this art with us. whenever i do somrthing i just listen to your video. i love learning things about the paintings. love from the Philippines! keep up the good work!

[@ShirleeKnott]

agree 💯

[@AshleyNebs]

I really love your channel. I’ve learned more art history from you than I did in my college courses.

[@possumaintdead]

I love your art talks and always look forward to them! Even though I’m subscribed, KZbin never lets me know when they’re up! Frustrating! I love the way you work your ad in too-wonderful! ❤

[@mike_98058]

This is my favorite painting yet among all the great works you have shown. Your intelligent and entertaining videos have been my art education. Great work (you and Velazquez).

[@MossyMozart]

@mike_98058 - My absolute favorite painting is "Juan de Pareja", also by Velázquez. It's in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.

[@BauhausGothic]

The secret of this painting is so amazing and sophisticated! 😮😮😮👏👏👏

[@justbecauseOK]

EVERYONE has to see this painting in the flesh before they shuffle off this mortal coil... One of humanities greatest achievements.

[@marthawoodworth]

I saw it at the Prado. Practically lived there while visiting Madrid. IMO the greatest museum in the world.

[@lasagna.1706]

I love these videos and how you edit them, it's just so good!!!! I reallllyyy want more painting explanation and history!

[@annadreamsart9756]

Your videos are wonderful! so funny while teaching what I wanted to learn. Thank you! This was a joy to watch.

[@lauriebartling579]

That was amazing! Very engaging and informative. Thank you so much. I hope you keep them coming. ❤️👍😊

[@ettu7237]

love, love your channel. love your presentations, your voice. love learning about art.

[@shellyirby9828]

This video was great! I've enjoyed all of them so far.

[@jenpink4298]

This was so interesting! I am always amazed at your ability to look at a painting and highlight the most fascinating details! Also that sponsorship part of the video was really well done!

[@andrewclayton4181]

One of my favourite paintings, there is a lot going on in it, and a few little mysteries just to keep the imagination alive.

[@SDMA1989]

Absolutely love your channel. Thank you! ❤

[@sherriethompson83]

Amazing painting! I am drawn to someone different every time I see it.

[@thomasgirty6397]

i like the depth of the painting. the mirror and the man on the distant stairs.

[@TheRaspberry82]

Wonderful! Former fine art broker - and Velazquez is indeed the Painter of All Painters. Thank you!

[@hekates-ladder]

I was never into visual art history before finding your channel. Thank you for helping me find ANOTHER category of art to hyperfixate on 🥰 (also… I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sponsorship ad reel incorporated so effortlessly. Well done. 👏)

[@ericfielding2540]

Great explanation of many things that went into this painting. I never thought about the equal level of the people in the foreground.

[@AmaraJordanMusic]

Having a terrible week because of my health, but I’ve been catching up on videos, and this cheered me up quite a bit! The humor is awesome; I haven’t found a channel quite like it! 😅

[@kairioblivion6544]

Yes!! One of my fav paintings!! Ty!!❤

[@Eazy-ERyder]

These are getting more and more creative.

[@onbearfeet]

Thank you for acknowledging the perfection of that dog.

[@MF_UNDERTOW]

Your channel is so rad. Please cover every painting ever made.

[@Ana-vb5ms]

Ayyy new vid!! thank you for the vids, you're my faveourite art youtuber, love the memes in the videos, haha. keep up the great work!!!

[@Art_Deco]

That means a lot! Thank you so much!

[@provingpossible]

I have to admit... I clicked on this video on a whim... and was held to the end. Awesome job!

[@SpellboundWolf]

Yay! It's a new episode!

[@florac6906]

This painting gives me an eerie feeling 😮

[@luperdrgz]

I really love how you narrate these videos ! I don’t know many female artists (other than frida) and would really appreciate it if you did more videos like this on artworks made by other women in history It’s just a suggestion though, I know you’re really busy and at the end of the day you should be doing what you enjoy

[@alexakammler6440]

Look up for Artemisia Gentileschi, an italian barock painteresse...later Angelika Kauffmann, Swiss...Vigee le Brun, France - she painted Marie Antoinette ofter...there are many talented woman painters

[@loverlyredhead]

My favorite is Mary Cassatt, one of the Impressionists. I considered decorating my nursery with prints of her work (I ended up doing fox paintings by a friend of mine, instead).

[@limecilla7612]

You have also the Italians Rennaissance painter Sophonisba Anguissola and early baroque Lavinia Fontana, Flemish still-life painter Clara Peeters...

[@tsmith3286]

I found this work of art to be thought provoking, mysterious, nauseating and incredibly disturbing all at the same time. I found your narration superbly entertaining.

[@davewright8206]

omg ... on so many different levels .. time not wasted . cheers

[@chaimabouaziz5218]

I love your videos! So informative and educational.

[@daviniaalice]

I really enjoyed that, glad you've got sponsorship, I even enjoyed the advert because of the way you worked it in, you deserve millions of subscribers : )

[@kentcurrie7326]

I saw Picasso's black&white Las Meninas in Barcelona a number of years agp and then saw Velázquez's Las Meninas a few days later in the Prado. I was sufficiently impressed that I bought a print of each.

[@Phylonyous]

Love the creative story telling!

[@kflo8634]

I've seen this painting in person and it was incredible

[@deniseramosgonzalez4799]

Love how you explain these paintings ❤😊