VELAZQUEZ (VELASQUEZ), DIEGO ROD. RIGUEZ DE SILVA y (1599-1660). The chief painter of the Spanish school, one of the greatest masters of all times. He was born at Seville, June 5, 1599, the son of Juan de Silva, of a noble Portuguese family established at Seville, and of Geronima Velazquez. Both were of the petty nobility (hidalgos), and the son, as is frequently the custom in Andalusia, added his mother's name to his own. He was educated in the gram mar school of Seville, and in his thirteenth year was placed with the painter but, un able to endure his master's ferocious temper, he left him after a year to study with Pacheco. From the former lie acquired little besides a taste for genre subjects and a tendency toward naturalism, but with the latter he remained five years. Although a poor painter, Pacheco was an excellent teacher, and the influence of his sound precepts may be seen in the wonderful sureness of Velazquez's drawing and the thoroughness of his work. The reputed influence of Luis Tristan of Toledo upon Velazquez is less evident, and probably applies only to his chiaroscuro.
The earliest works of Velazquez are in the style of the Spanish naturalists, and show no evidence of the prevalent classical Italian in fluence. They reveal the customary high lights and dark shadows. a sure and able draughtsman ship,and a trenchant naturalistic characterization. Such as survive are genre and religious subjects, and the principal are the "Aguador" (Water Carrier) and the "Adoration of the Shepherds," suggestive of Ribera, in the National Gallery, London; "Old Woman Cooking Eggs" (Sir Francis Cooke) ; and an "Epiphany" (Prado, Madrid).
In 1618 he married Pacheco's daughter, and in 1622 lie went for the first time to Madrid. The most important result of this visit was his ac quaintance with the Sevillian canon Fonseca, who held an ecclesiastical office in the royal chapel, through whose efforts he won the sympathy of Philip IV.'s all-powerful minister, Olivarez. On Velazquez's return to Madrid in 1623 his portrait of Fonseca found such favor with the royal family that he was commissioned to paint an equestrian portrait of the King. His success
was such that he was appointed Court painter, with the exclusive privilege of portraying the King. and given a liberal pension and a studio in the Alefizar. llis success was insured by his bril liant victory in a competition with the three Italian painters in the King's service, the subject hieing "The Expulsion of the Moriscos from Spain." From now- on the life of Velazquez was spent in the service of the King. Most of the early portraits of his great patron, Olivarez, have dis appeared. One is preserved in the well-known plate of Paul Pontius, with emblematic design by Rubens, and there is a full length in Dorchester ]louse. The earliest surviving portrait of _Philip IV. is probably the bust in the Prado Alusemn, which also possesses the fine full-length portraits of the King and Don Carlos, his brother.
The visit of Rubens as ambassador of Isabella, Regent of the Netherlands, to Madrid in 1628, was not without influence upon Velazquez, though it did not directly affect his art. Rubens had a high opinion of the rising Spaniard, and it was through his advice and intercession with the King that the latter obtained the coveted leave to visit Italy. At this time (1629) Velazquez executed the chief genre picture of the early period, the subject of which may betray Flemish influence, though this is not evident in the execu tion. In "Los Borraehos" (the Topers), more properly entitled "Bacchus," the wine god site on a cask amidst a band of weather-beaten drinkers, crowning a soldier of the party with vine leaves. His figure is a wonderful example of the artist's treatment of the nude, while the expression and animation on the faces of the topers perhaps surpass anything else in this particular genre. There are curious variations of the Prado original at Naples and in Lord Ileytesbury's collection.