Resumen de Arachne als Künstlerin. Velázquez' Las hilanderas als Gegenentwurf zum neuplatonischen Künstlerkonzept
Diego Velázquez's painting Las hilanderas (The spinners), now in Madrid's Museo del Prado, may be seen as an alternative to the Neoplatonic concept of the artist. The painting is based on the mythological story of Arachne. The central figure of Arachne, a self-conscious weaver, may personify Velásquez's particular conception of painting. The art of weaving stands for a painting that emphasizes color and can do without lines. Arachne also embodies the synthesis of invention and craftwork. She represents a type of artist who does not deny the craft element of his art and seeks through technical perfection to achieve artistic mastery.
