Page:Cyclopedia of painters and paintings (IA cyclopediaofpain04cham).pdf/351
Incarnation, Madonna with Saints and Angels, St. Damian, and St. Cosmo, the last three executed in 1585 by order of Cardinal Quiroga, whose portrait he painted. His son and pupil, Cristóbal de Velasco, was painter to Philip III.; he also left a son, Matias de Velasco, who painted some pictures of merit at Valladolid.—Stirling, i. 275; iii. 1360; Cean Bermudez.
VELASQUEZ, portrait, Velasquez, Uffizi, Florence; canvas, H. 5 ft. 10 in. × 4 ft. 10 in. Bust, three-quarters right; with moustache, and long hair on shoulders, wearing a small skull-cap on back of head; wide linen collar over dark habit. Engraved by G. Rossi; C. Colombini.—Curtis, 81; Stirling, 1401.
By Velasquez, Uffizi, Florence; canvas, H. 3 ft. 3 in. × 2 ft. 8 in. Sixty years old, half-length, standing, in black coat and cloak, white collar, and sword; a medal with cross of Santiago on his breast; left hand rests on a table; right partly conceals a key in his girdle. Probably painted in 1659. Engraved by F. Cecchini; with changes, Blas Amettler; H. Adlard; bust only, J. Mingnet.—Ch. Blanc, École espagnole; Stirling, 1401; Curtis, 81.
By Velasquez, Valencia Museum; less than life-size. Bust, turned partly to right; almost identical with bust of Uffizi picture of 1659. Etched by Fortuny for the Baron Ch. Davillier's "Mémoire de Velasquez" (Paris, 1874).—Curtis, 82.
VELASQUEZ, CONVERSATION OF.
See Artists, Meeting of.
VELASQUEZ, DAUGHTER OF. See
Clara, St.; Francisca; Velasquez, Family of.
VELASQUEZ, DIEGO RODRIGUEZ DE
SILVA Y, born in Seville, baptized June
6, 1599, died in Madrid, Aug. 7, 1660.
Spanish school; pupil of Herrera el Viejo,
and of Francisco Pacheco, whose daughter
he married in 1618. Examples of his first
manner are the Water Carrier, at Apsley
House and the Adoration of the Shepherds,
National Gallery,
London, in the style
of Ribera. In 1622
he went to Madrid,
hoping, but in vain,
to be allowed to paint
the king's portrait.
After some months'
study at the Prado
and the Escorial he
returned to Seville
and painted a portrait
of the poet Góngora, which attracted attention.
In 1623 the Duke of Oliváres called
him back to Madrid, presented him to the
king, whose equestrian portrait he painted,
and by whom he was appointed court
painter. In the same year Velasquez painted
a portrait of Prince Charles of England,
never finished, and now lost. The visit of
Rubens to Madrid, in 1628, excited the
young painter's desire to visit Italy, for
which he obtained the royal consent, and
after finishing the famous picture of Los
Borrachos, he embarked at Barcelona, July
22, 1629. After passing a year in Rome
and some time in Naples, where he became
intimate with Spagnoletto, Velasquez returned
to Madrid early in 1631, to remain
for the next eighteen years, during which he
painted many of his finest works. In 1649
the king sent him to Italy to collect pictures
for the royal galleries, and for the Academy
which he wished to found at Madrid. With
his faithful servant and pupil Pareja, Velasquez
successively visited Genoa, Milan, Padua,
Venice, Parma, Rome (where he painted
Innocent X.), and Naples, returning home in
1651. In the following year the king appointed
the great painter quartermaster-general
of his household, an office which he
held for eight years. During this period he
painted, among other famous works, his
pictures of Las Meninas (1656), and Las
Hilanderas; attended to the laborious duties
of his office; superintended the placing of