«Painting is not about what you see but what you make others see.»
Diego Velázquez, the brilliant 17th-century Spanish painter, lived a life as fascinating as his masterpieces.
From a young age, his extraordinary artistic talent was undeniable—but so was his mischievous sense of humor.
Imagine Velázquez sneaking extra brushes onto a rival’s palette or secretly adding red noses to serious portraits! He loved a good joke, but make no mistake—he was a master of realism, capturing every detail with astonishing precision.
As the court painter to King Philip IV, his portraits were so lifelike that it seemed his subjects might step right out of the canvas. His skill, wit, and innovation left an indelible mark on the history of art.
Did you know…?
After his death, Velázquez was posthumously sued for embezzlement, and his son-in-law had to settle the debt.
The red cross of the Order of Santiago on his self-portrait in Las Meninas wasn’t there originally. It was added later—possibly by King Philip IV himself—since Velázquez wasn’t of noble birth but received the honor thanks to his close friendship with the king.
In 17th-century Spain, wealthy individuals often owned slaves, many from the Canary Islands and Africa. Velázquez had a mixed-race slave named Juan de Pareja, who assisted him in preparing canvases and mixing paints. Pareja was so talented that he eventually gained his freedom and became a painter in his own right.
During a visit to the royal court, Velázquez befriended both King Philip IV and the Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens. Rubens encouraged him to travel to Italy, and Velázquez made two trips there. The king later entrusted him with selecting and bringing back exquisite furniture and artwork from Italy, as he was an avid collector.
Though Velázquez had many lovers, one stands out—Flaminia Triva, a painter who modeled for The Rokeby Venus. Some believe their son appears in the painting as well.
Learn with Diego Velazquez
The colors
In Velazquez’s time painting was not as easy as opening a jar of acrylics from the supermarket. The magic of his paintings cannot be understood without ultramarine blue, mummy brown, crimson or purple.
The Composition
Velazquez made very realistic portraits for the time and achieved incredible compositions in which the characters appear in a natural and organic way.
His World
Velazquez is at the court and knows many and varied palatial stories of the court of Philip IV.
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