Diego Velasquez, Juan de Pareja,
c. 1650, oil on canvas,
32 x 27 1/2 in. / 81.3 x 69.9 cm
(The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Judith Leyster, Self-Portrait,
c. 1633, oil on canvas,
74.6 x 65.1 cm / 29-3/8 x 25-5/8″
(National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.)
The portraits are executed successfully as they contain
certain elements of Baroque art that enables the viewer to appreciate the
complexity and details within both compositions. Furthermore, both portraits
have more similarities than differences because both compositions have
details that depict complex emotions, whether that be joy or sadness, that
capture the viewer's attention, which also leads viewers to further thought
about the compositions. Both compositions have the subjects posed in an
unconventional way that creates a sense of presence and a sense of drama. The
tones, lighting, and brushstrokes help create details within the clothing, the
hair, and the faces of both subjects that result in creating a sense of
realism.
Looking at the self portrait of Judith Leyster, it is clear that she is portraying herself. Since it is a self portrait, that means she is the one who did the painting. Judith Leyster was a female Dutch artist who specialized in the Dutch Baroque style of art. During this time, the Netherlands separated themselves from Spanish control and established their own republic where the merchant class was the majority of those purchasing art. This specific self-portrait is considered Baroque because of the style of the composition and because of the time period this portrait was done in. Professional female artists were not very common during this time period. However, Judith was one of them and she even was part of a guild, or an artisans association. The portrait emphasizes Judith as relaxed, confident and inviting, compared to traditional portraits of women, where they look more stiff and rigid. The portrait also emphasizes the intimacy between Judith and the viewer and produces a sense of closeness. An interesting factor about this self-portrait is that Judith is dressed up. It is likely that she would not dress up as she is in the portrait if she were painting; however, it was most likely intentional to show her position, or importance to the viewer. Judith also advertised herself within her own portrait by incorporating a painting of a musician, which would show potential buyers that she was a portrait artist and genre artist. Although Judith was talented, most of her artwork has gone unnoticed, which might correlate to the suppression of women during the 17th century. While Judith was successful during her time, most of her work was left out of books and exhibitions by art historians.
Diego Velasquez's portrait is of Juan De Pareja, Velasquez's slave and assistant. Velasquez's portrait of Pareja received much attention because the way Velasquez captured Pareja. Pareja was depicted as being confident and proud. Pareja is well dressed and has posture that depicts feelings of pride. Yet, Velasquez was able to catch a complex facial expression that created a sense of intimacy between the viewers and Pareja's story. Pareja's posture and the light on Pareja's face provides a feeling of dignity and radiance that creates a sense of realism within the portrait. This portrait might have been considered controversial during the 17th century because Pareja was a slave, and he was represented in a way that says that he was someone important. It was not common to incorporate slaves as the main subject of a composition. Although Judith has more control over how she depicts herself to the viewer, Pareja did not have that control. Because of this lack of control, Velasquez is able to capture Pareja is vulnerable when it comes to how others depict him. The portrait reminds the viewers of the humanity in all people. Pareja was liberated by Velasquez in 1654 and became an independent painter after Velasquez's signed a contract of manumission.
There are similarities and differences between both compositions. The similarities being that both paintings depict individuals who were controversial in their nature. Women were often victims of oppression and people of color were victims of oppression and slavery. As mentioned before, Judith was rare in her kind because she a professional female artist in male-dominated field. Also the way Judith depicts herself in her portrait as being confident and laid back was controversial in itself. This is because women were seen as being complacent and rigid. As for Juan de Pareja, he was depicted by Velasquez as confident and of importance, which was controversial because most slaves were not seen in that manner in which Pareja was painted. Technical similarities would be that both compositions represent Baroque style. For example, Baroque style is known for depicting drama and emotions, which is seen in both the complexity of Diego de Pareja's face and Judith Leyster's face. There is also similarities between the brushstrokes, tones, and the fine details within the clothing and faces. For example, Velasquez uses a combination of grey tones and warm tones to create contrast. Judith's self-portrait also contains a lot of "loose" brushstrokes that create a sense of movement in the way she posed. The differences in these compositions are the overall feeling and essence each composition provides. When looking at Judith's piece, it is more lighthearted and welcoming. However, looking at Velasquez's piece, it is more humbling and creates a feeling of irony. Technical differences would be the lighting in which each artists paints. Judith's painting is well-balanced in lighting, whereas Velasquez focuses most of the lighting on Pareja's face, which creates a sense of drama or emotion.
While there some differences within both portraits, there are more similarities between the two. Both portraits are able to capture the essence of Baroque style by incorporating drama, emotion, fine brushwork, details, and tones. Both portraits also depict two individuals who have been treated less than equal within society. Nonetheless, each composition was able to succeed in producing compositions that represent Baroque style of art all the while portraying the stories behind both subjects.
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/
"Velázquez (Diego Rodríguez De Silva Y Velázquez) | Juan De Pareja (1606-1670)." The Metropolitan Museum of Art., accessed Jan 31, 2021, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437869
