Diego Velázquez

c. 1599 – 6 August 1660

Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) was a Spanish Baroque painter and the leading artist at the court of King Philip IV of Spain. Renowned for masterpieces such as Las Meninas and the Portrait of Innocent X, he is regarded as one of the greatest painters in Western art history.

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Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Diego Velázquez.

Life events

Born in Seville, Spain
c. 1599

Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez was baptized in Seville on 6 June 1599, shortly after his birth.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Apprenticed to the painter Francisco Pacheco in Seville
1611 – 1617

Velázquez began a six-year apprenticeship under Francisco Pacheco, Seville's leading art teacher.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Married Juana Pacheco, daughter of his teacher
23 April 1618

Velázquez married Juana Pacheco, with whom he had two daughters.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Moved to Madrid and appointed court painter to King Philip IV
1623

After painting a portrait of the young king, Velázquez was named official painter to Philip IV and moved his household to Madrid.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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First journey to Italy to study the Italian masters
1629 – 1631

With the king's permission, Velázquez traveled through Venice, Rome, and Naples studying Renaissance and contemporary Italian painting.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Painted The Surrender of Breda
c. 1635

Velázquez completed The Surrender of Breda for the Hall of Realms of the Buen Retiro Palace.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Second journey to Italy and Portrait of Pope Innocent X
1649 – 1651

During a second Italian trip to purchase artworks for the king, Velázquez painted his celebrated portrait of Pope Innocent X in Rome.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Painted Las Meninas
1656

Velázquez completed Las Meninas, his most famous work and one of the most analyzed paintings in Western art.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Knighted in the Order of Santiago
28 November 1659

After a lengthy investigation of his lineage, Velázquez was admitted to the prestigious Order of Santiago.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Madrid
6 August 1660

Velázquez died in Madrid after falling ill following his duties at a royal ceremony on the French border.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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