What is diego velázquez famous for

He is generally considered one of the greatest artists in the history of Western art. He was an individualistic artist of the Baroque period c. He began to paint in a precise tenebrist style, later developing a freer manner characterized by bold brushwork. In addition to numerous renditions of scenes of historical and cultural significance, he painted scores of portraits of the Spanish royal family and commoners, culminating in his masterpiece Las Meninas Most of his work entered the Spanish royal collection , and by far the best collection is in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, although some portraits were sent abroad as diplomatic gifts, especially to the Austrian Habsburgs.

Diego velázquez art style

He was baptized at the church of St. Peter in Seville on Sunday, 6 June Some authors have suggested that his grandparents were Jewish conversos. Raised in modest circumstances, he showed an early gift for art, and was apprenticed to Francisco Pacheco , an artist and teacher in Seville. A contract signed on 17 September , formalized a six-year apprenticeship with Pacheco, backdated to December , [ 11 ] and it has been suggested that Herrera may have substituted for a traveling Pacheco between December and September Although considered a dull and undistinguished painter, Pacheco sometimes expressed a simple, direct realism , though his work remained essentially Mannerist.

They had two daughters.

When did diego velázquez die

He was one of the first Spanish artists to paint such scenes, and his Old Woman Frying Eggs demonstrates the young artist's unusual skill in realistic depiction. In December , Rodrigo de Villandrando , the king's favorite court painter, died. He was offered 50 ducats g of gold to defray his expenses, and he was accompanied by his father-in-law.

Fonseca lodged the young painter in his home and sat for a portrait, which, when completed, was conveyed to the royal palace. His portrait of Philip was exhibited on the steps of San Felipe and received with enthusiasm.