Is social status important? One of the most extraordinary Spanish painters in history, Diego Velazquez not only painted beautiful, detailed works of art, but also created an expansive story that the viewer can recreate and reinvent. One of these paintings, according to the Prado Museum, is "Las Meninas", in which it tells the story of the Infanta Margarita, her little meninas and, of course, her parents ("Prado Museum"). Velazquez effectively uses the baroque style, intricate colors, and careful positions in “Las Meninas” to allude that social status is imperative. First, Velasquez is famous for his Baroque style paintings and in "Las Meninas" this style explains why social status was important for this time period as well as the roles of all the characters in the painting ("Velázquez (1599 - 1660) - Spanish Baroque painter"). The Baroque style used can be seen mainly in the way the painting was created (“Baroque Period (art)”). For example, the painting is simple and the viewer knows what is going on in the painting at first glance. This technique allows Velazquez to portray his favoritism towards the Spanish royals and how valuable they were to him. In addition to this idea, Velazquez's style also portrays the role of religion during this time period. In this painting he places the religious figures of a nun and a friar in the shadow and in the corner of the work. This explains the Baroque style because the painters of this period, not only Velazquez, wanted to bring religion back into art, however, not in a big way (“Baroque period (art)”). It includes religious figures, but does not put them in the spotlight. Velazquez's use of a simple setting and minimal use of religious figures shows that social status is primarily related to kingship and not religion. In the announcement... in the center of the sheet..."). This mentality does not give an idea of what it meant to be ruled by the king and queen without a high social status. Diego Velazquez was a very influential painter during the baroque era ("Velázquez (1599 - 1660) - Spanish Baroque Painter"). His paintings show the royalty of the nobility and show how great Spanish royalty is. Although his opinions are partial, his paintings tell a story, which leaves the viewer curious and perplexed about the interpretation of his paintings Furthermore, Velazquez leaves his viewers wondering what Velazquez really wanted them to learn from his art, the glory of being real or how the viewer should appreciate the art and its peculiarities. All in all Velazquez uses the elements of Baroque style, detailed colors and precise positioning to convey the message that having a high social status is very crucial.
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