Las Meninas

Foucault's 'Las Meninas' was a very entertaining piece to read. Beginning, I was completely unsure as to what the author was describing, as he began "The painter is standing a little back from his canvas..." which no further introduction as to the setting. The descriptive language and amazing imagery that he uses really allows the reader to visualize in their head the scene that he is describing. After reading the passage and interpreting it as one may, the painting itself is presented for visual interpretation. Just as Bal and Bryson's piece described, there are infinite amounts of ways that one may look at Las Meninas. Who or what is the painter's gaze directed at? Why is the mirror so illuminated in the background, and what is the roll of the insignificant man standing in the doorway? The whole picture and its mysteries fully support the idea that society may never know the true meaning of a work of art, and that in the end, it is a creation of an artist.