The Mirror of Mirror: A Philosophical and Literary Analysis of Reflexivity and Metanarrative in Velazquez's Las Meninas and Danielewski's House of Leaves

Abstract

This research paper analyzes reflexivity and metanarrative presented in Diego Velázquez's iconic painting, Las Meninas, and Mark Z. Danielewski's experimental novel, House of Leaves by examining both works' unconventional narrative structures, self-reflexivity, and fragmented nature. Utilizing the conceptual structure of the terms mentioned in the book The Philosophy of the Mirror (1994) by the late Egyptian thinker Dr. Mahmoud Ragab, as the following concepts: the mirror, the act of reflection, and the dialectic relationship between the viewer and the viewed, will lead to an exploration of the impact of self-reflection and reflective contemplation on the novel, the subject of study. Through a descriptive and analytical lens, this research paper will explore the connections between the two artistic forms, highlighting how they challenge traditional notions of representation and narrative. Through the philosophy of mirror, art challenges traditional notions of reality, authority, and representation. By examining the visual elements and literary techniques employed in these works, this paper aims to highlight how to embody and exemplify reflexivity principles. Through the dialectic relationship between the viewer and the viewed, this painting raises a wide range of artistic, literary, and philosophical questions that have had an impact on many forms of art. For example, the philosophy of this painting has influenced the French philosopher Michel Foucault, who wrote about it in the introduction to his book, The Order of Things.