Las Meninas Comparison

Contrasting & Comparative Analysis

During the Western European Baroque movement, Jan Vermeer and Diego Velazquez were two significant artists. “The Music Lesson” a painting by Vermeer and “Las Meninas”, a painting by Velazquez, compare significantly but also share contrasted traits. While both “Las Meninas” and “The Music Lesson” are defined by their use of mirroring, light and realism, the fundamental differences of both works are outlined by the artists use of subject matter, room decor or set up and the shift in foreground and background reflection; using indirect and direct perspective. Both paintings express great contrast and comparison with one another whilst being both denotative and connotative in their description.
Vermeer’s
Through the use of perspective both paintings have great illusion of depth, allowing the viewer to feel like they are part of the composition. In Vermeer’s piece the viewer is drawn in from the marbled floor and the wall which houses the windows. This connects the viewer to the back wall. In Velazquez’s work, the observer is placed right in front of the young lady who is staring at them. However in his use of mirroring himself in the image behind his canvas he makes the viewer feel like they are in the same room as that of the composition. The mirroring technique used by both artists’ referrers to the reflection of an object or subject in another part of the image depicting a dual reality and sensation. In ““The Music Lesson”” Vermeer reflects the image of the young female by repeating it in both the mirror above her keyboard, where she stares at her instructor, as well as in the marble flooring beneath her. Likewise, Velazqyuez also reflects figures in his background mirror, denoted as the king and queen and dually also includes himself as a mirrored figure. Finally light is used to describe depth and perspective in either piece. In Vermeer’s canvas the observer notices how light cascades through the windows, hitting the objects in the foreground and background creating subtle values amongst them. The light outlines the figures and the flowing folds in their clothing along with the ripples created in the fabric draped on the table. The use of light is also recognized in Velazquez’s painting. Light shines from the front right window and where door frame is shown in the background. It too describes the shadows and depth of the fabrics, clothing and objects in the piece. In these descriptions of perspective, light and mirroring one can recognize clear similarities in Vermeer’s and