Monday, June 30, 2014

Paintings By Velazquez

By Darren Hartley


Among the portraits in Velazquez paintings were those of King Philip IV and other members of the royal family as well as of the court. There was also a portrait of the court fools, consisting of people with mental and physical weaknesses who were kept to amuse the king.

Velazquez visited Italy twice. It was during these visits that he was able to include a portrait of Pope Innocent X among the acclaimed Velazquez paintings. This was in 1650. The pope said the painting was so truthful in the vivid way the picture caught his character. He was truly impressed.

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.

From June 1629 to January 1631, Diego travelled to Italy. It was there that he was influenced by the great artists of the region. Upon his return to Madrid, he began a series of Velazquez paintings consisting of portraits featuring the members of the royal family on horseback.

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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