The air in Las Meninas
In an art gallery you shouldn’t try to show your children more than a couple of paintings. Here I am trying to explain to my daughter Valeria why Las Meninas is the best painting in history, and why that hasn’t got anything to do with the Spanish royal family.
VALERIA: –Dad, look at the dog!
OSCAR: –It’s the best-painted dog in the history of art. They once asked Dalí, ‘If the Museo del Prado were to go up in flames and you could only save one work, what would it be?’ and he replied, ‘I’d save the air in Las Meninas because it’s the best quality air that exists.’ Valeria, notice the atmosphere, look at the upper part of the canvas, there’s only air.
VALERIA: –Dad, is the dog asleep?
