Artemisia's breakthrough self-portrait was bought

阿尔泰米西娅这幅突破性的自画像

by none other than King Charles I,

正是被查理一世买下

that great stickler for protocol

他是礼仪制度的守护者

but also a great lover of art.

也是艺术的热衷者

And there was no court in Europe more obsessed with protocol

在欧洲宫廷中没有比西班牙腓力四世

than that of Philip IV in Spain.

对礼仪制度更为着迷的了

But right at the heart of that court was the greatest of artistic

处于那座宫廷核心的 是艺术界最伟大的

freethinkers, Diego Velazquez.

自由思想家 迭戈.委拉斯开兹

As official painter to the king, Velazquez produced

委拉斯开兹作为国王的御用画家

images of the royals on demand,

为皇室成员量身作画

though always with unprecedented sparkling naturalism -

尽管画中总是蕴含着前所未见的自然主义气息

the human showing through the fancy dress.

例如雍容华贵的服饰

And on one occasion at least, despite,

但尽管 或正是因为他的地位之高

or maybe because of the strength of his position,

他的画作至少有一次

he committed an extraordinary act of painterly lese-majeste.

堂而皇之地冒犯了君主

Towards the end of his career in 1656,

1656年 在他职业生涯的末期

Velazquez he produced a picture, this one, Las Meninas,

委拉斯开兹完成了这幅画作 《宫娥》

The Maids Of Honour, which more than any other before or since

这幅画以空前绝后的野心

stakes the most ambitious claim

宣告了艺术与艺术家的

for the power of art and the artist.

绝对地位

It's a painting which reverses all the usual

这幅画作完全颠倒表现了

expectations of the relationship between patron and artist.

雇主与艺术家之间的寻常关系

In this picture, it is the painter thoughtfully looking at us

这幅画中 意味深长地看着我们的画家

who is truly sovereign.

才是真正的掌控者

Anyone who comes into the presence of this masterpiece,

任何看到这幅杰作的人

or as it really feels, steps across the threshold

也可能是作者本意如此 都仿佛跨越了

of that huge work, feels him or herself

这幅巨作的界限 并惊异地感觉到

uncannily in presence of all the characters who populate it.

自身仿佛和画中人物同处一个世界

That thoughtful painter, the little princess,

沉思的画家 小公主

her maids of honour,

她的侍女们

the dwarfs,

侏儒们

even that slumbering dog.

甚至是那只打瞌睡的狗

It is an absolute triumph of illusionistic painting.

这无疑是错觉主义绘画的胜利

Something else as well...

还有一点

Velazquez is the most cerebral artist of his generation

委拉斯开兹是他同时期艺术家中最具智慧的

and this is a huge brainteaser.

这是他留下的一个巨大谜题

There's a giant in the room and it's that epic sized canvas

房间中那张硕大的画布

but what's on it?

上面画着什么

A painting of the little princess,

是小公主