Juan pareja. I have read three books in the last month

"I, Juan de Pareja" by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño
"Control dictation and ancient greek tragedy» Artur Givargizov,
Nero Corleone. A Cat's Story by Elke Heidenreich.

The most interesting for me was the book "I, Juan de Pareja", which my mother bought me.

At first I didn’t like it very much, because the action in it takes place in the 17th century, and I like it when the action takes place in earlier times and not in Spain, but in Russia, England or Scotland (I love books about knights and am interested in history Middle Ages, now, for example, I am reading a book in which the action takes place in Normandy during the time of Richard I).

I read this book in 20 days.

I read slowly, stretching out the pleasure, although sometimes I got tired of the experiences. I did not pay much attention to the pictures, although they are in the book.
The heroes of the book are the slave boy Juan de Pareja, the famous Spanish artist XVII century Diego de Velasquez, his wife Juana Miranda, their daughter Paquita, King Philip IV of Spain.

Juanico is a black slave boy whose father was a free man but was unable to ransom his family. First, Juan de Pareja belonged to Velasquez's aunt, who died of the plague, after which he came to Velasquez and became his assistant. Slaves were forbidden to make art, and Juan really wanted to paint, sometimes he stole paints and bought canvases with the accumulated money. Together with Velasquez, whom he loved very much, Juan traveled a lot.
I really liked Juan de Pareja. He is kind, resourceful, intelligent, skillful, faithful servant for his masters.

And another character, the gypsy don Carmelo, I remember not at all because he is good. On the contrary, he is arrogant, dexterous, cruel, he liked to torture people. I was especially struck by the episode when Don Carmelo whipped Juanico half to death. Reading about this, I was very worried. When Juanico, after the death of his mistress and terrible adventures on the road, finally got to Diego Velasquez, he fed him and warmed him. I was happy for the hero and felt relieved. I liked the way Diego de Velasquez treated Juan: as a younger friend, although he himself was free, and Juan was a slave.

I think this book can be read from the age of 10, because there are things in it that are more early age it will be difficult to understand. Need to know what historical figures in front of you are something to read about how people lived in these centuries, what they did. There are also many things related to faith, Juan himself was a strong believer, like his parents, but this is not directly mentioned about Velasquez, but the artist in the book says that he painted his paintings in “real truth” and lived humbly.

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Timofey Chapnin, 10 years old, Moscow

Reproductions used in the design of the book: Diego Velasquez. Portrait of Juan de Pareja (1650) Diego Velazquez. Self-portrait (circa 1640)

Juan de Pareja, nicknamed El Esclavo(Spanish Juan de Pareja, el Esclavo; 1606 or 1610, Antequera - 1670, Madrid) - spanish artist the baroque era.

Life and art

Born in the south of Spain in a Morisco family, by origin - mulatto. He was a servant, according to some reports - a slave of the court painter of King Philip IV Diego Velazquez, and worked with the latter in the workshop. Self-taught, hiding his work from others, including Velazquez. De Pareja's talent was discovered by accident when Philip IV and Velazquez discovered one of Juan's works. At the request of the king, Velasquez granted Juan de Pareja freedom and then left him as an assistant in his atelier. Around the same time, in 1650, Velazquez in Rome painted a portrait of Juan de Pareja, one of his best. After the death of Velazquez, de Pareja continues to work in the workshop of his former master's son-in-law and also one of Velasquez's students, Juan Batista de Mora.

Juan de Pareja painted mostly portraits and paintings of religious content. He was also an excellent copyist of the works of Velázquez himself.

Works (selected)

• The Calling of the Evangelist Matthew (1661, Prado Museum). In this picture, J. de Pareja, in the form of the far left, with paper in his hand, gave his self-portrait
• Baptism of Christ (in Santa Trinidad de Toledo)
• Saint Evangelist John and Orontius (Augustinian monastery in Mexico City)
• Madonna of Guadalupe (Augustinian monastery in Mexico City)

What can I say. This book is not an encyclopedia of painting and not boring stories about the everyday life of an artist, which I have always disliked.
Very accurately and captivatingly, through the history of the creation of great canvases, she shows readers the life of the great artist Diego Velasquez through the eyes of his devoted black slave Juan de Pareja.
This is true life romance, in connection with which I find it difficult to name the age of a potential reader, although the book has a recommendation of 10 years, I would add more - indefinitely, since this book is far from being a children's book.
Reasoning and dialogues between the characters, a subtle penetration into the world of art and a description of the processes of creating masterpieces, the described events characteristic of the life of the first half of the 17th century - all this is addressed, it seems to me, to a prepared reader, an educated reader who has absorbed the charm of classical literature.
This is not a passing book.
For this novel, Elizabeth Borton de Trevigno received John Newbery medal- An annual American award given for contributions to children's literature. I liked the novel a wide range readers with its living language, dynamic plot and clear moral position. All people are equal regardless of skin color, and "no one dares to own another person." Freedom is the highest value. It seems that these are common truths. But in the history of Treviño they are especially evident, and each new generation simply needs to learn them.

As for me, my interest in the book is primarily an interest in art. It was very interesting and useful for me to read about the work of an artist with a sitter, about how Don Diego Velazquez studied his models and how he was able to convey their essence, their essence, on his canvases. character traits personality, about the attitude of the Master to his work and art in general.

"Art is beauty!" He looked defiantly at Don Diego.
- No, Cristobal, - answered the Master. - Art is true. And the truth is beautiful in itself, without decorations."

The book itself is a small square format, OFFSET, coated inserts with reproductions of paintings, there is a lace, the pages are slightly tinted yellow.
Under the cut, I give the first chapter in its entirety for reading and pictures :)

You give every artist a good book for children and teenagers!

I have a strange relationship with art. For me there is no artist until I read some interesting book about him. That's why I love Michelangelo (Irving Stone "Pain and Joy"), Benvenuto Cellini (Alexandre Dumas "Ascanio"), El Greco ( Somerset Maugham“The burden of human passions”), Albrecht Dürer (Alice Broach “Masterpiece”). And now a new discovery.

Thanks to the author Elizabeth Borton de Treviño and the Pink Giraffe publishing house, which released a simply amazing book, I was inspired by the work of Diego Velasquez, and at the same time I learned about another artist, Juan de Pareja. The story is told from his face, and he was first a slave of the Spanish genius, and then a close friend. By the way, and about famous artist Murillo we learn a lot of new and interesting things.

So, one book of medium thickness, and how much it tells. And shows. The text is lavishly illustrated with paintings by Velazquez. Moreover, they are very well printed. In general, the book is very tactile. Pleasant binding, beautiful font, textile bookmark. Mmmm! Charm!

book about Diego Velazquez

I do not consider myself a connoisseur of painting, and I have not been to the Prado Museum, where most of Don Diego's paintings are kept. But who is Velasquez, I know, of course. I leaf through the book and see that many of the paintings are visually familiar to me. But our children are not at all aware of his work. There is no blockbuster, no cartoon, no series about Velasquez. So read about one of the most outstanding artists very useful in the world.

In addition, the book by Elizabeth de Trevino is not a boring study of creativity, not an abstruse treatise on causes, effects, currents, directions and features of overlaying colors, but fascinating story. Although nothing so supernatural happened in the artist's life. If we compare it with the novel Ascanio, for example, by our Alexandre Dumas, then there are only amorous deeds and the rattling of swords are worth something. And here - no.

Happily married, two daughters, in demand at court, that is, a successful career, customers, communication with the most titled client, King Philip IV, well, a couple of trips to Italy. Well, I got sick along the way. It happens to everyone!

“I, Juan de Pareja”

Here is the life of his servant, Moor Juan de Pareja, much brighter. What a huge inner work he did from being a slave to feeling like a person and an artist! From little boy, who goes to church with his lady and plays with the dog, to the point of saying about himself: "I, Juan de Pareja."

And this happens thanks to creative development. Juan wanted to become an artist and long years practiced painting and imitated his master, Velázquez. But he did it in secret. The fact is that in Spain, slaves were forbidden to paint. Apparently, everyone knew that this leads to an increase in self-esteem and awareness of oneself as a person.

Do you know who helped Juan gain freedom? The Spanish King Philip IV. Like this interesting story the author tells us.

Look at the portrait of Juan by the Master. Isn't it true that this is a man with dignity, smart, kind, generous, and ... with some kind of mystery in his eyes. An extraordinary person, no doubt. And it immediately comes to my mind how he was looking for a kitten to please the artist's daughters. And I found, judging by the description, a Persian breed))

Book about painting

But don't think Dear Parents that children do not learn anything directly about the work of Diego Velazquez. They will find out. And a lot. The author introduces us, readers, into the world of art.

Not very easy, to be honest. Especially for an apprentice. Properly prime the canvas, properly grind the paints, make sure that the right light falls on the model all the time. Hold the reflector, as they say now. And you have to keep it for a long, long time. Or here's another, pick up a background for a portrait. Have you noticed that Velasquez usually has a solid dark background?

– Master, when you paint a portrait… is it difficult to convey the true essence of people? And they're not angry with you? I dared to ask.

- Don't get angry. After all, their people true essence still unknown, and they cannot see her in the portrait.

How I love Spain, with its sun-scorched colors and spicy southern flavors, the lace of patterned balconies and the peaks of spiers flying into the sky, hot dances and soulful songs that echo blood itself, noisy evenings and quiet lunch siesta, sunny sea coasts and grandeur dark rocks.
How I love painting. Admire the work of the masters of the Golden seventeenth century, the time when spanish art reached its peak.
And how I love stories about the life of artists. Stories through which you begin to understand their work more deeply and feel involved. Stories that excite the imagination and take you into the world of colors, shadows and light.
It seems that Elizabeth Borton de Treviño's book "I, Juan de Pareja" was written especially for me. It is written interestingly and informatively, from the first to the last page. This is not an art history work, but an exciting novel and a wonderful fiction based on real facts.
The life and work of Diego Velazquez greatest representative golden age and one of the most brilliant realists European art, told by a black slave, begins with his portrait. Velazquez portrayed his faithful servant, Juan de Pareja, with the dignity with which he talks about the character and manner of work of the Master. Live and easy language, details of the life of the Spanish royal court, several lines about Philip IV and the Pope, sketches of Seville and Madrid, contrasting strokes about gypsies and monks, human relations between a servant and a master, talent and work, love and hatred, wealth and poverty, a thirst for life and death , and as a result - a beautiful picture of a distant era.
In 1965, the book was awarded the Newbery Medal; we have it published in an elegant translation by Olga Varshaver. The illustrations are reproductions of paintings by Velasquez, as well as figurative sketches by Ekaterina Margolis in sepia at the beginning of each chapter and during the course of the story, which wonderfully set the mood for the text.
I advise the publication to all children, from 10 years old to infinity, for traveling around the "golden" Spain, hobbies for painting and having fun.

The quality of the publication is amazing, you don’t want to let it go: close to a square format, hard matte cover with a canvas texture, pleasant to the touch, silk ribbon-lace, smooth offset paper, tinted in a light tea color, inserts of excellently printed reproductions on thick coated paper ( 11 pieces), wonderful layout, free margins, convenient footnotes, large clear font, detailed comments and a list of reproductions. A unique book of its kind.