Eugenia Drakopoulou
National Hellenic Research Foundation, Greece
Jorge Semprun (1923–2011) was a Spanish, politically active writer who lived in France most of his life. He served as minister of culture in Spain’s socialist government from 1988 to 1991.
His interest which manifested itself in the extensive and recurring references, made in his works, to three paintings from 17th century Holland, Italy and Spain lies mainly in the renovation, the new life that he attributes to them by integrating baroque works in the history of modern Europe. Three famous paintings, Johannes Vermeer’s View of Houses in Delft, the Judith Slaying Holofernes of Artemisia Gentileschi and Diego Velasquez’s Las Meninas find a new place in history of art as their initial “life” in Delft, Rome and Madrid respectively is imbricated, on multiple levels, with persons and events of the contemporary era.
Further, the views of the writer connected with his ideas on how to exhibit baroque works in today’s museums, his self-awareness as a citizen of Europe and a sense of responsibility related to his institutional position as minister of culture in Spain, greatly contribute to the actual debate on the interaction between the 21st and the 17th century.