Why diego velazquez is famous

This work is one in a series of portraits of bufones , or court jesters at the royal palace. A mythological-centered painting, The Rokeby Venus depicts Venus, the goddess of love, with her son Cupid, who holds a mirror for her to both admire herself and gaze at the viewer. Las hilanderas The Spinners , alternately known as The Fable of Arachne plays with the concept of perception and also has a mythological theme.

In the foreground, we see five ordinary women preparing the wool for the creation of tapestries. In the background, we see another group of five, more elegantly dressed women. Once he finished his apprenticeship in he began to produce interesting pieces of naturalist work in which he focussed on portrait, still lifes and religious works.

Three years later he married Pacheco's daughter, Juana de Pacheco and in the three years that followed they had two daughters, however, only one survived into adulthood.

His first royal commission was a portrait of the young king Philip IV of Spain in which was so well received that he was immediately appointed as Court Painter. His return to Madrid signalled his most dramatic period and he produced some of his most celebrated works.

In addition to his work taking pride of place in the king's throne room, he added more quirky touches to his paintings, became more daring in breaking with artistic tradition. Where the emphasis shifted from a renaissance traits of bright light and mathematical perspective, Baroque favours the essence of humanity, showing things how they should be seen. The development of Chiaroscuro meant that shadow became equally as important as light in which things can be hidden or highlighted, contrasted or exposed.

His early training as Pacheco's apprentice have him a basis in italian realism which became a stock feature of his art. In Las lanzas , Velazquez cleverly chose to illustrate a humane encounter amid the cruelty of war. The painting is considered one of his best works and is renowned worldwide, but especially in Spain where it is among the most celebrated artworks.

Spanish Title: La Venus del espejo. The only surviving nude by Velazquez, La Venus del espejo depicts Venus , the Roman goddess of love, beauty, sex and fertility, with her son Cupid holding a mirror for her.

The painting was bought by English scholar John Morritt in and he hung it in his house at Rokeby Park in Yorkshire, England thus providing the popular title of the painting. It is now housed in the National Gallery , London. The 3D like quality of Rokeby Venus which makes the viewer feel in touching distance, the flirty effect of Venus staring back, the rich coloring and warm flesh tones have all added to make this masterpiece one of the most erotically charged artworks of all time.

It has been faithfully restored since the slashing. Spanish Title: Retrato de Inocencio X. During a trip to Italy, Velazquez offered to paint a portrait of the Pope who asked him to first prove his painting skills.

Portrait of Innocent X is considered by many art critics as the finest portrait ever created while Guardian calls it the most acute study of personal power in the history of art. English Title: The Maids of Honour. Considered one of the most important paintings ever, Las Meninas depicts at its center the 5 year old Margarita Teresa. The infant Margarita is surrounded by her maids, bodyguard, two dwarfs and a dog.

They appear to be in position of the viewer.