National Gallery London Publications Series

Renowned for his physical and psychological naturalism, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599–1660) is considered one of the greatest painters to have ever lived. Official court painter to King Philip IV (1605–1665), he created astounding effects of illusion in his minimalist and elegantly composed works––which range from genre and history scenes to portraits. His paintings had an enormous impact on 19th- and early-20th-century artists such as Degas, Renoir, and Picasso, and Manet famously first described him as “the painter’s painter.”
With over 150 illustrations and an in-depth chronology, this beautifully produced and comprehensive book surveys Velázquez’s entire career and explores his universal popularity. Fascinating essays by world-class Velázquez scholars address the artist’s life and technique, examining his studies in Seville and Italy to his final great works at the court of Philip IV. They also place his works in the context of 17th-century European painting and discuss how and why his works have resonated so strongly with the generations of Post-Impressionist and modernist artists.

Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

Exhibition Schedule:

National Gallery, London (October 18, 2006 – January 21, 2007)

El Greco to Goya

by Dawson W. Carr

Published 3 November 2009

This book presents highlights of the National Gallery’s outstanding collection of Spanish painting from the 15th to the 19th century—considered one of the finest outside of Spain.

Haunting works by El Greco introduce the Golden Age of the 17th century. Canvases by Velázquez span his career, from royal portraits and religious works to the Rokeby Venus, his only surviving depiction of a female nude. Bartolomé Murillo is represented by exceptional religious and genre paintings, together with his imposing Self Portrait. Other works by Baroque painters, including Ribera and Zurbarán, reveal shifting uses of naturalism to express everything from the mysteries of faith to the grandeur of royalty to the beauty of the mundane. The later part of the collection includes Luis Meléndez’s Still Life with Oranges and Walnuts and portraits by Goya.

Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press