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Artemisia's breakthrough self-portrait was bought
阿爾泰米西婭這幅突破性的自畫像
by none other than King Charles I,
正是被查理一世買下
that great stickler for protocol
他是禮儀制度的守護者
but also a great lover of art.
也是藝術的熱衷者
And there was no court in Europe more obsessed with protocol
在歐洲宮廷中沒有比西班牙腓力四世
than that of Philip IV in Spain.
對禮儀制度更為著迷的了
But right at the heart of that court was the greatest of artistic
處于那座宮廷核心的 是藝術界最偉大的
freethinkers, Diego Velazquez.
自由思想家 迭戈.委拉斯開茲
As official painter to the king, Velazquez produced
委拉斯開茲作為國王的御用畫家
images of the royals on demand,
為皇室成員量身作畫
though always with unprecedented sparkling naturalism -
盡管畫中總是蘊含著前所未見的自然主義氣息
the human showing through the fancy dress.
例如雍容華貴的服飾
And on one occasion at least, despite,
但盡管 或正是因為他的地位之高
or maybe because of the strength of his position,
他的畫作至少有一次
he committed an extraordinary act of painterly lese-majeste.
堂而皇之地冒犯了君主
Towards the end of his career in 1656,
1656年 在他職業生涯的末期
Velazquez he produced a picture, this one, Las Meninas,
委拉斯開茲完成了這幅畫作 《宮娥》
The Maids Of Honour, which more than any other before or since
這幅畫以空前絕后的野心
stakes the most ambitious claim
宣告了藝術與藝術家的
for the power of art and the artist.
絕對地位
It's a painting which reverses all the usual
這幅畫作完全顛倒表現了
expectations of the relationship between patron and artist.
雇主與藝術家之間的尋常關系
In this picture, it is the painter thoughtfully looking at us
這幅畫中 意味深長地看著我們的畫家
who is truly sovereign.
才是真正的掌控者
Anyone who comes into the presence of this masterpiece,
任何看到這幅杰作的人
or as it really feels, steps across the threshold
也可能是作者本意如此 都仿佛跨越了
of that huge work, feels him or herself
這幅巨作的界限 并驚異地感覺到
uncannily in presence of all the characters who populate it.
自身仿佛和畫中人物同處一個世界
That thoughtful painter, the little princess,
沉思的畫家 小公主
her maids of honour,
她的侍女們
the dwarfs,
侏儒們
even that slumbering dog.
甚至是那只打瞌睡的狗
It is an absolute triumph of illusionistic painting.
這無疑是錯覺主義繪畫的勝利
Something else as well...
還有一點
Velazquez is the most cerebral artist of his generation
委拉斯開茲是他同時期藝術家中最具智慧的
and this is a huge brainteaser.
這是他留下的一個巨大謎題
There's a giant in the room and it's that epic sized canvas
房間中那張碩大的畫布
but what's on it?
上面畫著什么
A painting of the little princess,
是小公主
