The Blue Astronomer I and II - The Photographer

In the painting Las Meninas Diego Velazquez paints himself standing in front of his easel looking out at the viewer. He is depicting the characters in the court of King Philip IV of Spain. In the painting it appears as if the king and queen have just walked into the room and the characters are caught mid- motion, as if by a camera.

In my depiction, Velasquez has mutated into a camera, his head, propped up by a tripod, is a many eyed mask with lenses that swivel instead of eyes. At his feet lie the remnants of negative film and in his hand scissors to splice the film, looking for that perfect freeze frame moment.