Diego Velázquez: Masterpieces and Artistic Evolution

Portraits of the Spanish Court

Velázquez painted a large number of portraits, including Philip IV, the Count-Duke of Olivares, and Mariana of Austria. He also contributed to the Madrid newspaper, notably depicting Los Borrachos (The Triumph of Bacchus), which features drunken peasants accompanying a young, bare-chested figure.

First Italian Journey

Velázquez made his first trip to Italy, where direct contact with the works of Italian masters profoundly influenced his artistic mood.

The Forge of Vulcan

The Forge of Vulcan was painted during this trip. It depicts the mythological god entering a workshop to work with the Cyclops. The most interesting aspect is the psychological reaction the painter captured amidst the heat of the forge.

Second Madrid Period

Upon his return to Spain, during his second Madrid period, he produced various paintings that highlighted physical imperfections to provide a full human dimension. He continued his court work, retouching portraits and creating a series of equestrian portraits:

• Philip IV: Appears in a rigorous profile, riding with the landscape of the Buen Retiro in the background.
• Count-Duke of Olivares: Portrayed on horseback.
• Infante Baltasar Carlos: Also depicted in an equestrian style.

His masterpiece from this era is The Surrender of Breda. The composition is balanced in two groups: the victors on the left and the vanquished on the right, with spears filling the space.

Second Italian Journey and Mature Works

During his second trip to Italy, Velázquez received high honors. He painted Pope Innocent X, a work that serves as a profound psychological portrait of the pontiff, and also painted his servant, Juan de Pareja, while in Rome.

Aerial Perspective and Light

He painted the Gardens of the Villa Medici, where his capture of ambient light reached levels unsurpassed until that time, a technique known as aerial perspective.

He also painted the elegant Venus of the Mirror, which utilizes the ingenuity of a mirror to display the figure. Through the transparency of his brushwork in this piece, Velázquez acts as a precursor to Impressionism.

Final Masterpieces

Las Meninas

Las Meninas is his ultimate masterpiece. The interplay of inputs and outputs within the picture is clever: the painter's gaze looks out, the ladder leads to the background, and the King and Queen are reflected in the mirror at the back of the room. It functions as a family portrait set within the daily environment of the court; the pretext is that the princess has come to see her parents, while the painter pays homage to his craft.

The Spinners

The Spinners, originally titled Arachne, appears at first sight to be a scene of spinners in the Santa Isabel factory, but it is actually a mythological theme. Aerial perspective reaches its definitive dimension here, creating a sense of air and space between the foreground and the dark, bright background.