Court painter to King Philip IV of Spain, Diego Rodriguez de Silva
y Velazquez (June 1599 - August 6, 1660) is not only a leading
light of the Spanish Golden Age, but among the most celebrated
masters in all Western art history. Monet and Renoir, Corot and
Courbet, Degas and Dali all hailed his influence. Picasso was so
inspired by his masterpiece Las Meninas that he painted 44
variations of it. Velazquez's importance is found particularly in
his naturalist approach, in contrast to the more ubiquitous
idealized manner of his age. Early works included numerous
"bodegones", genre scenes of everyday life in early 17th century
Spain, in which warm, rich tones and textures set off the most
ordinary of subjects and humble of faces, such as Old Woman Frying
Eggs. Later, his portraiture for the Royal Court brought the same
naturalism to the highest echelons of society, marking a profound
shift in the depiction of royalty with softer, more relaxed poses
that offered his subjects a human warmth and character as much as a
sense of grandeur. Velazquez's most famous work, Las Meninas, was
also painted in the royal court, but in its enigmatic composition
raises many broader questions about reality and illusion and the
relationship between the painter, painting, and viewer. This fresh
TASCHEN Basic Art 2.0 edition introduces Velazquez through key
works from throughout his career. From humble genre scenes to the
royal portraits, the exquisite Rokeby Venus nude, and the
ever-mysterious Las Meninas, we explore his exceptional attention
to composition, masterful handling of tone, and his remarkable
influence as, in Manet's words, "the greatest painter of all."
About the series Born back in 1985, the Basic Art Series has
evolved into the best-selling art book collection ever published.
Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art series features: a detailed
chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist,
covering his or her cultural and historical importance a concise
biography approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions
General
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