Velázquez, Diego, << vuh LAHS kuhs, DYAY goh >> (1599-1660), was an important Spanish baroque painter. Many characteristics of his style can be seen in one of his masterpieces, Las Meninas. Las Meninas shows Velázquez’ use of realism, rich colors, and light and shadow. In addition, it shows the painter’s ability to place his subjects in space. Velázquez stands beside the huge canvas on which he is painting a portrait of the king and queen, whom we see reflected in a mirror on the back wall. Princess Margarita has entered with her maids and entertainers to watch while a courtier stands in the still-open door. Velázquez created an illusion of space both within and beyond the painting. By including the reflection of the king and queen, who would be standing about where the viewers stand, Velázquez includes the space in front of the canvas as part of the composition. See Baroque (Baroque painting) .
Diego Rodriquez de Silva y Velázquez was born in Seville, probably in June 1599. As a youth, he studied with Francisco Pacheco. Pacheco taught him the style of the Italian artist Michelangelo Caravaggio, characterized by its realism and use of somber light and dark tones. In 1623, Velázquez became official painter for King Philip IV. He became an important courtier as well as a successful court painter for the rest of his life.
In 1629, Velázquez went to Italy, where he studied the art of ancient Rome and perfected his ability to paint nudes. After his return to Spain in 1631, he produced a series of great royal portraits as well as The Surrender of Breda (The Lances), one of the world’s finest historical paintings. He again visited Italy from 1649 to 1651. While in Rome he did a penetrating portrait of Pope Innocent X and also painted his only pure landscapes. After his return to Spain, Velázquez painted some of his greatest pictures. These include his most dazzling court portraits; Venus with a Mirror, one of the few nudes in Spanish art; and Las Meninas. Velázquez died on August 6 or 7, 1660.
