The Fable of Aracne, or 'The Spinners', after Velázquez 1870

Bartolomé Maura created this print, The Fable of Arachne, after Velázquez, using etching, engraving, and roulette. Maura created this piece during a time of significant social change and artistic revival in Spain. It's a copy of a painting by Velázquez. The original painting explores the complex relationship between labor, mythology, and art. It presents us with a scene of women working in a tapestry workshop. At first glance, it appears to be a genre scene depicting the everyday lives of working women. But look closer, Velazquez embeds a deeper narrative, the ancient Greek myth of Arachne. Arachne, a mortal weaver, dared to challenge the goddess Athena to a weaving contest. In Maura's print, the figures become symbolic of human skill versus divine power, and of the status of women in the workplace. Maura recreates an environment where the boundaries between the everyday and the mythological blur, asking us to consider the stories we tell ourselves about work, skill, and power. He prompts reflections on the role of women, labor, and artistry in society.