Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez
Baptised in Seville, on 6th
June 1599
Studies
Apprentice in Francisco Herrera’s , ‘El Viejo’, Atelier 1609
Francisco Pacheco’s Atelier.
1610-1616
Associations
San Lucas Guild Seville,
1619
Accademia di San Lucca,
Rome, 1650
Congregazione dei
Virtuosi, Rome, 1650
Painter of Your Highness Philippe,
the 4th 1623
Chamber Usher of Your
Highness Phillipe, the 4th 1627 -1634
Cloakroom Attendant 1636
Chamber Assistant of Your
Highness Phillipe, the 4th, 1643
Superintendente de Obras Particulares
1643
Aposentador mayor de palacio 1652
Orden de Santiago 1658
Madrid, 6th August 1660 †
As King’s painter
not only was he in charge of painting the monarchic family and the court’s, but
also copying and restore other works and
organising the colections in the Sitios Reales. As chamber usher he had to
guard the anteroom’s doors and keep an eye on its visitors. As cloakroom
attendant he had to ensure that the protocol was followed by the visitors’
clothes and by the palace’s staff’s decorum. As chamber assistant he used to
take part in the king’s meals, opened the door for the guests and managed the lighting
and hygiene in the King’s rooms. He conditioned the Sitios Reales as Superintendente de Obras Particulares and
he decided how to do them up. And as Aposentador
Mayor de palacio, he organised the transport of Your Highness, the
accomodation, the supplies, the trips, the ceremonies and parties; controlled
the opening and closing of the doors, laid the table when the King was going to
eat in public, set the heating...
Despite having
assistants in his atelier, he did all this apart from painting.
Why did Don Diego accept
to do all these tasks? Didn’t they distract him from painting? Maybe because he
appreciated the King’s company? Or might it have been mere ambition in order to
improve his social role? These questions still remain unanswered.
Do you know these aspects of his life? What is your opinion about this?
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