6.18.2014

Velazquez Paintings

By Darren Hartley


One portrait among Velazquez paintings was that of the court fools, people with mental and physical weaknesses kept to amuse the king. In his portrait, Velazquez exemplified great humanity by depicting them with respect instead of mockery. Another famous Velazquez painting was The Rokeby Venus, done in 1648, depicting a beautiful female nude.

The best known among the acclaimed Velazquez paintings was a large group portrait of maids of honor, entitled Las Meninas, completed in 1656. It depicted Velazquez at his easel with members of the court. The young attendants who were part of the portrait were the ones who gave the title to the painting.

The early Velazquez paintings were made up of traditional religious themes favoured by his master, Francisco Pacheco, a local painter, with whom Diego spent a six year apprenticeship, starting at the age of 11. The naturalism of Italian painter, Caravaggio, also had an influence on him. Diego was born in Seville, Spain, in June 6, 1599.

After Diego painted a portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares, the Count-Duke recommended Diego to be a court painter for King Philip IV. The young king of Spain, after seeing a completed portrait among the Velazquez paintings, decided to contract his services.

Among the last Velazquez paintings was a group of mythological scenes for the Alcazar palace. Royal portraits remained to be on top of Diego's priorities as far as painting is concerned. These portraits would include that of Philip IV of Spain. In 1658, he was made a Knight of Santiago, an honour Diego had always desired.

In the snapshot-like painting of Las Meninas, considered to be the most acclaimed among Velazquez paintings, two handmaidens were depicted as doting on the future empress, Margarita Theresa, while Diego peers from behind a large easel. In the painting, In the portrait, Diego was ostensibly studying the king and queen, while his gaze meets the viewer.




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