Famous painters and paintings (1876) (14595114378)

Identifier: famouspainterspa00shed (find matches)
Title: Famous painters and paintings
Year: 1876 (1870s)
Authors: Shedd, Julia Ann Clark, 1834-1897
Subjects: Painters Painting
Publisher: Boston, J. R. Osgood and Company
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



Text Appearing Before Image:
ied at court in 1662. VELASQUEZ. DIEGO RODRIGUEZ DE SILVA VELASQUEZ,one of the most celebrated Spanish painters, wasborn at Seville, in 1599, of a family of Portugueseorigin. His genius early showed itself, and he wassent to be educated in the studio of Francisco Herrerael Viego. He afterwards became the pupil of Fran-cisco Pacheco, who, though accomplished in theory, wasable to teach him but little. He had an attractivedaughter, however, whom Velasquez afterwards mar-ried. His chief education was self-acquired ; he paintedassiduously from life, selecting models generally fromthe sordid peasant-class, thereby inducing a habit ofmind unfavorable to the attainment of a pure and ele-vated ideal, which is all that is wanting to raise hisart- to the highest point of excellence. In 1622 hewent to Madrid to study the works of art collectedthere; he attracted attention by his paintings, andmade some influential friends ; later, he was appointedcourt-painter. In 1628 Rubens went to Madrid, and
Text Appearing After Image:
THE NEW YORKPUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR. LENOXTILDliN FOUNDATIONS 1599.) VELASQUEZ. 163 the two artists became friends, and though Rubenspractised his art assiduously during his stay, it doesnot appear to have exercised any modifying influenceupon the gravity of Velasquezs style. His individ-uality was so powerful that his style, when matured,was not affected perceptibly by any external influence. In 1629 Velasquez went to Italy, where he receivedthe highest honors, and was assigned apartments inthe Vatican by Pope Urban VIII. He employed him-self chiefly in copying the frescos of Michael Angeloand Raphael, though of all the Italians he consideredTitian the greatest. He returned to Madrid, where he was cordially wel-comed by his patron, with whom he became more andmore a favorite. In 1648 he again went to Italy on amission from the king to buy pictures and other worksof art. He returned to Madrid in 1651, after whichtime many of his finest works were executed. With the exception perhaps of M