Summary
Mati and her magical sidekick Dada travel back in time to meet Diego Velazquez and discover grand, lifelike royal portraits. Together they explore Las Meninas, his painting of the Spanish court and learn about Spain in the 1600s. A gentle, funny introduction to a great artist for young viewers.
Viewer safety
All ages
A couple of classical paintings include a nude figure — preview if that's a consideration for your class.
Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.
Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Watch how Mati and Dada meet Diego Velazquez, then talk it over:
- What kind of art did Diego Velazquez make, and what made it stand out?
- What did you notice about Diego Velazquez's style — the colors, shapes, or lines they used?
- How did living in Spain in the 1600s shape the art Diego Velazquez made?
- Which work by Diego Velazquez would you most want to see in real life? Why?
Quick work-a-long
Words to know: portrait, court painter, realism
Try it: draw a portrait of someone in your class as if they were very important. Then share one choice you made that Diego Velazquez might have liked.