“People are gazing” — An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Viewing Velázquez

Abstract

What is it like to look at a painting? Research into art viewing raises challenging considerations. Factors concerning the artwork, the viewer, the role of context, as well as conceptualisation of the response and how to measure it, present a wealth of complexity. Although such a topic might arguably lend itself to qualitative exploration, work of this type is notably sparse. In the research reported here, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to explore the experience of looking at a painting. Twelve participants were individually interviewed whilst viewing Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez. Three Master Themes were developed, the first of which, ‘The Gaze’, is presented in depth. Experiences of looking and being looked at by figures in the image are described and considered in relation to social and philosophical understandings of eye contact, seeing and being seen. What is it like to look at a painting? Research into art viewing raises challenging considerations. Factors concerning the artwork, the viewer, the role of context, as well as conceptualisation of the response and how to measure it, present a wealth of complexity. Although such a topic might arguably lend itself to qualitative exploration, work of this type is notably sparse. In the research reported here, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to explore the experience of looking at a painting. Twelve participants were individually interviewed whilst viewing Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez. Three Master Themes were developed, the first of which, ‘The Gaze’, is presented in depth. Experiences of looking and being looked at by figures in the image are described and considered in relation to social and philosophical understandings of eye contact, seeing and being seen.