An Old Woman Cooking Eggs Diego Rodriguez De Silva y Velazquez (1599-1660)

Description of the painting "The Old Cook" by Diego Velázquez

Velázquez depicts a cook preparing an egg. In her hands is an egg and a spoon. Next to her stands a servant. In one of his hands is a carafe of wine and in the other is a melon. But these objects can say nothing about the essence of these characters.

We sense that they are not just unperturbed and distant from vanity. They are completely immersed in a poor life, which is unsophisticated and very difficult. But they are majestically solemn. That is why only real epic heroes come to mind. The old woman, like some kind of pythia, performs sacred actions over the fire. The young man is utterly focused, as if he were Romulus, who is about to found Rome. But why are they so majestic among the ordinary supplies and pots in the kitchen?

Velázquez depicts how majestic the poor can be. The hands of the boy and the old woman are frozen over the fire. They do not touch, yet the characters feel the presence of the other. The rustic accessories typical of rude life aside, one might think that the painter portrayed a kind of mystery (the energy is transferred from the wise old age to the youth).

The clay pan and mortar are incredibly voluminous. In the background, the darkness is thickened as much as possible. The painter seems to be mysteriously silent about something. This is the main attribute of the royal beginning. Velázquez portrayed the cook as truly solemn. Almost regal. Her profile resembles that usually embossed on medals. All the objects look like cast metal. The commoner has become a monument to himself. At the same time, nature is not corrected. Academic idealism is absent. Genesis is completely unlike everyday life.

The meaning is recognizable and open. But it is not the UN that is in charge here. Much remains a mystery. The viewer still does not understand where the action of this picture takes place. Other details are also unclear. We cannot understand how the old woman and the boy are connected. None of this really matters, because the meaning of the painting is much deeper and more meaningful. The painting takes on a generalized meaning. Velázquez makes sense of modernity and conveys his attitude toward poverty.