DIEGO RODRIGEZ DE SILVA VELÁZQUEZ
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By: Yeray Carretero Álvarez 

Diego Rodriguez de Silva Velázquez ( Seville, baptized on June 6, 1599 , Madrid, August 6, 1660 ), known as Diego Velázquez , was a Baroque painter , considered one of the greatest exponents of Spanish painting and teacher of the universal painting.

He spent his early years in Seville , where he developed a naturalistic style of gloomy lighting , influenced by Caravaggio and his followers. At age 24 he moved to Madrid , where he was named as the painter of King Philip IV and four years later was promoted to court painter , the most important position among court painters . In this work he devoted the rest of his life. His job was to paint portraits of the king and his family , as well as other tables to decorate the royal mansions.

Its catalog consists of about 120 or 130 works . The main part of his paintings that made up the royal collection is preserved in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.