VELASQUEZ, DIEGO RODRIGUEZ DE SILVA, one of the most famous of Spanish painters, was b. at Seville, in June, 1599, of a family of Portuguese origin. Very early, the bent of nature became obvious in him; and lie was sent to be educated in the studio of Francisco Herrera el Viejo, an artist of considerable force and originality. He after ward became the pupil of Francisco Pacheco, a man accomplished in theory, but who could practically teach bins little. The old pedant had, however, au attractive daughter, named Juana, who, doubtless, to the eyes of the young painter, atoned for her parent's deficiences, and who married him at the end of 5 years. His chief education, how ever, as with all men of real genius, was that which lie gave himself; he painted assiduously from the life; the models he selected were, for the most part, of the sordid peasant class, and in this way a certain habit of mind was induced, unfavorable to the attainment of that pure and elevated ideal, some infusion of which is all that is wanted to elevate the noble realistic hardihood of his manner into the very highest region of the art. In 1622, he paid a visit to Madrid, to study the treasures of art there accumulated.
his stay, he painted the portrait of the poet Gongora, and made some influential friends, at whose instance lie was, the year after, invited to return by the conde, Duque de Olivarez, the favorite of Philip IV. His portrait of this magnate so delighted the king, that he himself sat to the artist, and the result was a picture of superb merit by the public exhibition of which the artist at once heir-me famous. The office of court: painter was bestowed upon him, and he found himself at once embarked on a full tide of the prosperity which continued through life to flow upon him. Of Philip IV. and his fam he painted many pictures; and shortly after his appointment, he executed a portrait —unfortunately lost—of our own Charles I., then (1623) at Madrid on his famous fool's errand. The year 1628 was made memorable to him by the arrival, in Madrid, of the great Rubeus, on a diplomatic mission. The two artists were worthy to become friends, and speedily became so; but though Rubens, during his stay, was assiduous iu the prac tice of his art, the familiarity of Velasquez with his florid harmonies of color and riot of animal vigor, seems to have exercised no modifying influence on the restrained gravity and severity of his own style, now thoroughly matured.
Velasquez had long desired to visit Italy ; and in 1629, permission was granted him to proceed thither. Everywhere he was received with the highest honors; and in Rome, in particular, Pope Urban VIII. assigned him apartments in the Vatican. Here he chiefly employed himself in the frescoes of Raphael and Michael Angelo; and it is remakable that, in the one or two original pictures which he at this time produced, no hint of an influence can be traced from his studies of these mighty masters. He was not the
less profoundly sensible of their power; though he has left it on express record, that of all the Italians he considered Titian the greatest. Such, however, was his powerful individuality, that his own style once formed, no such external influence was able to affect it appreciably. Having recovered from a severe illness, proceeded to Naples; and finally, in the spring of 1631, returned to Madrid, where he was cordially welcomed by his royal patron, with whom he now became more and more a favorite. He had a ' painting-room in the palace assigned him; and the king was wont to come familiarly to watch him at work. It is a noble trait in the man, which deserves to be recorded along with his triumphs as an artist, that when, in 1643, the Duque de Olivarez, to whom he had been indebted while yet obscure, incurred disgrace at the hands of Philip, he braved the royal displeasure, by continuing to show him in everything the respect to which he had been accustomed. In 1648 Velasquez proceeded again to Italy, on a mission from the king to buy pictures and other works of art. He returned to Madrid in 1651; after which time many of his finest works were painted. Such was the favor in which he continued to be held by Philip, that, in 1656, the cross of Santiago was conferred on him, an honor never before awarded except to the highest of the nobility; and shortly after, he was appointed aposentador mayor. This post, the duties of which consisted in attendance on the king in his journeys, and superintendence of everything essential to his convenience, was one of much honor and emolument; but it involved at times great trouble and anxiety; and on the specially important occasion of the conferences held, in 1660, to arrange the marriage between Louis XIV. and. the Infanta, these were such as to utterly prostrate the painter. On July 31 of that year, he returned to Madrid. worn down with the overwork to which he had been forced to subject himself, and died in a week after, on Aug. 7. He was buried with much ceremony in the church of San Juan. His wife, who was passionately attached to him, only survived his loss about a fortnight.
Vclasquez—with the doubtful exception of Murillo—takes admitted rank as the greatest of Spanish painters. His portraits are, for force, penetration, directness, and severity of truth, of almost unrivaled merit; his historical pictures are also of rare value; his landscape effects are full of air and light; and his treatment of religious subjects only fails in defect of that deeper spirituality, the expression of which has been in its fulness attained by none save a few of the earlier Italians. The works of Velasquez are in this country rare. The two or three specimens to be found in our national gal lery very inadequately represent his genius, of the power and variety of which a worthy conception is only to be formed at Madrid, where his finest works are preserved.