1.
“You
are
here.
You
have
appeared.
Their
eyes
announce
your
arrival.”

2.
“You
are
here.
You
have
appeared.
Their
eyes
announce
your
arrival.”
i.
Exploring
and
questioning
the
object
of
representation

3.
Las
Meninas,
D.
Velázquez,
1656
Oil
on
canvas,
318
cm
x
276
cm
Museo
del
Prado,
Madrid

4. What
are
we
looking
at?
At
first
glance:
portrait
of
the
Infanta
Margarita,
only
daughter
of
Philip
IV
of
Spain
and
Mariana
of
Austria.
Portrayed
with
her
ladies
in
waiting
(meninas),
servants,
bodyguards,
dwarves,
dog,
all
seemingly
tending
towards
her.
Looking
closer:
most
figures
not
looking
at
her,
but
ahead
of
them.
The
way
in
which
they
are
appear
in
the
painting
is
not
a
direct
representation
but
rather
an
allusion
to
the
representation.
So
what
is
being
represented
then?

5. Velázquez
as
object
of
representation?
Velázquez
paints
himself
painting.
Asserts
the
status
of
the
painter
prominently.
Tries
to
prove
art
as
an
intellectual
endeavor
more
than
just
a
‘craft’.
Although
it
is
a
self-­‐portrait,
he
is
not
the
central
figure
of
his
work.
Velázquez
challenges
the
notion
of
self-­‐representation.
As
though
fulfilling
a
‘charge’,
a
‘duty’.
We
cannot
see
what
he
is
representing
on
his
canvas,
given
that
he
is
painting
what
is
in
front
of
him.
Back
of
canvas
facing
us.
Medium
and
representation
go
hand
in
hand.

6. Self-­‐reflection:
the
subject
as
object
of
representation?
Looking
at
the
back
wall:
Monarchs
reflected
in
the
mirror.
As
though
they
were
the
ones
standing
in
front
of
the
canvas,
in
front
of
their
daughter
and
the
party.
However,
realistically,
their
backs
would
be
depicted
in
the
reflection
(compare
with
the
Arnolfini
portrait)
This
is
not
realistic.
Again
an
allusion.
It
would
seem
the
object
being
painted
drawn
is
us,
the
Monarchs
in
the
mirror
acting
as
a
representation
of
an
autonomous,
sovereign
self.
According
to
U.
Awet,
“it
may
allude
to
that
part
of
ourselves
that
we
cannot
access
directly
but
that
nevertheless
exist”
(citing
Foucault,
1970).
<
Arnolfini
Portrait
(detail),
Van
Eyck

7. ii.
Challenging
the
notions
of
space….
From
a
spatial
perspective:
the
room
containing
the
painter
and
the
Infanta
embraces
viewer.
real
space
up
to
the
door
ideal
space
in
the
mirror
imaginary
space
in
the
paintings
(Rubens?)
on
the
wall
Vanishing
point

8. …and
time
The
painting
as
a
representation
of
the
present
moment
Like
a
snapshot:
man
coming
or
going?
Foucault:
“The
painter
is
turning
his
eyes
towards
us
only
in
so
far
as
we
happen
to
occupy
the
same
position
as
his
subject”
Brevity
of
time:
Baroque
thought?
The
painting
as
a
glimpse
into
the
future
Margarita:
the
Future
of
Spain?
The
subject
can
always
resume
his
role
in
the
future
as
observer.