Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, and Self-Portraits

As one of the most influential Baroque painters, not just in Spain but internationally, Velázquez was not as prolific as some of his peers—he has only around 120 paintings attributed to him. However, the inspiration he left for later generations, especially regarding portraits, has been studied by many important painters in art history, such as Manet, Goya, and Picasso. Las Meninas and the self-portrait within it are so intriguing that they motivated subsequent generations to produce series after series of works reflecting on it. The question of who is the center of the painting has not only teased everyone who stands before it but also expresses Velázquez’s boldness in breaking the rules of portraiture. In the last 20 years, several paintings by Velázquez have been rediscovered, including a self-portrait that is now kept at the MET. What I find particularly intriguing about Velázquez’s self-portraits is that, although the brilliance of color and technique is well-structured in the Baroque style, his subtle facial expressions—perhaps highlighted by his stylish moustache—and especially his eyes, convey a witty sparkle, as if he’s asking questions through the painting.