Comparisons
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| Diego Velázquez, Juan de Pareja, 1650, Oil on Canvas |
This painting was done by Diego Velázquez. The subject is Juan de Pareja, one of his slaves. Despite Pareja's status, he is still painted standing there with dignity, even though he is devoid of rights. The painting itself is incredibly beautiful and somewhat chilling to look at.
Knowing his status as a slave, you can't help but wonder if he felt as if he was being forced to be the subject of a painting- and that sad look in his eyes makes you know he was aware that he is essentially powerless. It is unclear if Velazquez freed Pareja, however, you know one thing from this painting, and it's that living a life where you have no control is a miserable and complicated one.
This painting is a self-portrait done by Judith Leyster. The way she paints herself is purely as who she wants you to see. She looks like she's just turning to look at the viewer just to have a chat as she paints. She is wearing fancy dress in this portrait, which would be an impractical thing to paint in all things considered. The way Leyster has painted herself here is entirely in her control, she is not required to paint exactly as she sees, after all, she is painting herself, so she is taking creative freedoms with how she depicts herself here.
Leyster became a part of the Guild of St. Luke, a guild of established artists and students where it would be easy for artists to establish themselves and be able to receive commissions for their work. At this time, it was rare for a woman to be a professional artist, however, she was able to impress this Guild and be able to sell and showcase her talents.
The biggest similarity between these two portraits is that they both depict subjects who are a part of oppressed groups, Pareja with a much lower status than Judith Leyster as he was a slave, but it was rare to see a professional female artist. They are similar in composition, both even placed in a similar position on the canvas. Their faces are both illuminated, and both are expressive in their own subtle manner- though the feelings are entirely different.
However, the similarities really end there. The biggest difference between these two portraits is the amount of control the subject had in depicting themselves. Juan de Pareja is being painted by the man that basically owns him, the way he is depicted is entirely up to Velazquez, while Judith Leyster is creating a self-portrait and has full control over how she wants to be presented.
Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker, "Judith Leyster, Self-Portrait," in Smarthistory, December 14, 2015, accessed January 31, 2021, https://smarthistory.org/judith-leyster-self-portrait/.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Diego Velázquez, Juan de Pareja," in Smarthistory, October 8, 2016, accessed January 31, 2021, https://smarthistory.org/velazquez-juan-de-pareja/.
That's a great way of comparing the two paintings while still showing that they are not the same thing. You can see that these two people had some hard times in their life but they have definitely not seen the same things. It's great that they both show some sort of pride within their faces and we can recognize this emotion very well. You understood this very well and it shows, great job!
ReplyDeleteI really like how you stated that one of the biggest differences in this composition was the amount of control the subjects had. I think that is great point to make because it helps us question more complex ideas such as the emotions behind each subject. It also makes me wonder that perhaps it tells how each painter viewed that person. I think it is a bold statement for Velasquez to paint his slave simply because he is painting him as he sees him, which is a human being. Great job! -Maribel
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your way of comparing these two portraits. Both paintings show the background of these people from oppressed groups yet they are so different. The way that Leyster painted herself as how she'd like to be viewed and Juan de Pareja was painted with no control of the situation. I like how you pointed out that both paintings are expressive but the feelings they give off are completely different from each other.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you chose to compare the two portraits. You pointed out how they wanted to be seen both of them were going through some rough times but that never affected how they wanted to be seen. Overall I think you did a fantastic job comparing the two paintings.
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