Velázquez

Velázquez

Meet Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez, the leading light of the Spanish Golden Age and a giant of Western art history. From humble genre scenes to the ever-mysterious Las Meninas, this introductory book charts the compositional expertise, natural figuration, and masterful handling of tone that secured Velázquez’s place as “the greatest painter of all.”

Court painter to King Philip IV of Spain, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (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 Dalí all hailed his influence. Picasso was so inspired by his masterpiece Las Meninas that he painted 44 variations of it.

Velázquez’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.

This fresh TASCHEN Basic Art 2.0 edition introduces Velázquez 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.”

Hardcover, 21 x 26 cm., 0.58 kg, 96 pages

ISBN 978-3-8365-3210-5

Edition: English

TASCHEN