Las Meninas ~ Velázquez + (Goya and Picasso)

The choice of subject in the inaugural article for this journal will inevitably serve to underscore the primary point as laid out in the introduction by demonstrating there is a long tradition of studies done by examining, drawing, and reimagining past works.  Compare the three ensuing well known works and feel free to draw your own.

Las Meninas 1656 (Diego Velázquez)

Las Meninas, after Velázquez 1778 (Goya)

It is was not uncommon for Picasso to make reference to other works and artists in his own works and in this post we shall have examples of the original Goya and Picasso's take on the scene as a comparison.  The two lived in radically different times with the original Goya predating the French Revolution but concurrent with the American and Picasso's take on it dating after the Spanish Civil War, World War Two, and concurrent with the early days of the Cold War.  It is of course instructive in understanding a person to look at the context of the times in which they lived and a person with the inclination can find many books on these two although I'd wager the Picasso bibliography to be the larger of the two.  It's a subject we shall revisit in the future but one should be aware that often Picasso would often pay homage to the past but with a bit of a tongue in cheek element present.

Las Meninas, after Velázquez 1957 (Picasso)