European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 7, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Francisco jos4 de Goya in a self portrait painted when he was 69. The masters House Prado voids Spain s finest paintings by Ron Jensen staff writer the Painter stares from his painting with a concentrated gaze fixing the viewer in the Eye while seemingly oblivious to the activity that orbits him. A maid of Honor offers water to Margaret the Young Princess who is staring As is the Painter directly from the painting. A dog at her feet and another Young Maiden stare likewise As does an unknown onlooker framed by a door at the rear of the artist s studio. The object of this attention is seen Only in the Mirror behind the action. In it the images of King and Queen Are reflected. There Are other spectators and More activity in this painting on the Wall of Madrid s Prado one of Europe s grandest Art museums. And Las Yeninas the maids of Honor by Diego Vel amp Azquez de Silva is a hallmark of the museum said Maria Luisa Del Castillo one of the museum s guides. Quot this is the Best painting of Velazquez Quot she said. Quot this is the Best painting in the museum. This is the greatest painting in Spain. This is one of the greatest paintings in the  such talk might be tossed off As hyperbole in some places. But not in front of this captivating painting done in 1656. The Painter in the artwork is Velazquez making it a grand self portrait. The King and Queen Are Philip in of Spain and Mariana for whom Velazquez was the official artist. Art historians have debated the identities of others in the painting including the Man in the doorway and the elderly couple in the shadows. As powerful As this painting is however it is closely rivalled by other works in this massive museum built in the late 18th Century As a natural history museum. A Good Way to see the collection is with the Aid of a personal guide. At 3,000 pesetas about $30per hour the service is expensive but worthwhile especially if the fee can be divided among a Small group. Castillo concentrated on the Spanish works during this hour in Early april and stretched the time about 15 minutes mixing Art insight with humor. In discussing Velazquez s work the surrender of Breda which depicts the dutch surrender to Spain in 1625, she called it Quot the most Beautiful symbolization of winners and  in the painting she said the losers Are sad but dignified while the winners Are Happy but not exuberant. Standing before a Vezquez painting of a dejected Mars the god of War she said he is unhappy because there is no War to fight Quot which i think is Good for him. He should not be Able to  at the painting of St. Anthony visiting St. Paul the Hermit she noted that the legend says that a Black Crow brought Paul one half piece of bread every Day. She pointed to the Crow in the painting and said Quot the Bird knew mathematics. It brought a whole piece for  s&8 Ron Jensen a statue of Goya stands watch Over the main Entrance to the Prado museum. Another great Spanish master is Francisco jos6 de Goya who is also Well represented in the Prado s collection. Several of the paintings Here were done us patterns for tapestry makers and they cover Walls themselves just As the tapestries were intended. Castillo said most tapestry patterns were Small and when they were enlarged into tapestries the makers changed the artist s work to fill in the empty space that suddenly appeared. Quot not to have that problem Goya made these big paintings and they had to change not a thing Quot she explained. With size came exaggeration however. In one Goya s figures play beside a wide River that supposedly flows through Madrid. Quot the River of Madrid is a very Small River. It has a few inches Quot Castillo said. Quot Here it looks like the  one of Goya s most outstanding works in the Prado is a depiction of the execution of spaniards by Napoleon s men on May 3,1808. The line of people to die stretches deep into the painting. The faces of the men facing death Are expressive. The Central figure faces death bravely. But the faces of the executioners Are a detail from Quot the surrender of Breda by Velazquez. Unseen hidden by the Butts of their rifles or the collars of their Coats. Quot it would be horrible to see the face of a Man killing someone Quot said Castillo. The scene s sense of realism is for a very Good reason Castillo said. Goya saw the executions from his apartment window stripes Magazine May 7, 1992