Velázquez, the last protagonist of lecture series Calvo Serraller lecture series

Today it seems surreal to think of Michelangelo's David as Baroque, but the majestic Renaissance marble sculpture was label such label a time. This is one of the mysteries addressed by Fernando Marías, Full Professor Art History at the Complutense University of Madrid, in the latest session of lecture series Calvo Serrallerlecture series , organized by the Friends of the Prado Museum Foundation and the School Philosophy Letters.

During his lecture, Marías recalled how the geniuses of the Baroque period would label his label insult. "But the name of their style was not chosen by them," the professor emphasized: "Those who devoted themselves to talking about the Baroque were the authors who wrote about them." He was referring to philologists, whose written observations now allow us to understand how this period was received by their contemporaries.

Velázquez was one of the painters about whom so much was written both during his lifetime and in subsequent centuries. He was known through the words of Palomino, but also of Wölfflin and Gurlitt, authors that Marías used to transport the audience to past centuries. In addition, the professor revealed one of the keys that made the Sevillian's works so special. "The greatest praise one could receive at that time was that the trompe l'oeil technique worked in a painting."

skill is this skill gives Velázquez's works their magic, his ability to make the audience wonder whether what they were looking at was a canvas or reality, as Marías pointed out, "that the pictorial reality was a substitute for the subject." To achieve this mimetic ability, the painter had to have a deep understanding of the causes behind the phenomenon. "It is not enough to paint dew, but to know how it is produced." The same was true of his still lifes, whose ceramics made one think that the vase had been handcrafted before being painted. "The Sevillian's interest in these effects was intertwined with his fixation from an early age on establishing a connection with the audience," he explained.

If anyone has had the opportunity to appreciate the painting "Los Borrachos" in person, they will notice a penetrating gaze. "We see them because they are looking at us," Marías said of the almost maniacal eyes of one of the characters. That gaze opens a window for the audience; it is an invitation to be part of a scene that transcends the painting.

All of this reflects Velázquez's performative intent, an artist who was even criticized for daring to paint himself in full length within the royal family. The first signs of his ambition, the speaker pointed out, may have appeared from the moment he decided to change his name from Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez to Diego Velázquez.

Despite everything that has been studied about the life of this Sevillian artist, there is still much to learn about him. Because even as time passes, the legacy of Velázquez continues to fascinate us; perhaps this is due to the idea that Marías concluded with, which is that "we can only take advantage of the past, because the future is not yet written."

Looking back, the coordinator lecture series, Javier Azanza, thanked the 32 speakers who have participated in the 10 editions lecture series Calvo lecture series . Ten years exploring the astute gaze of geniuses and looking forward to the next, "to continue delving into the wonderful paths of art."