Pope Innocent X

1599

Born

17 September 1611

Apprenticed to Francisco Pacheco

A contract formalised Velázquez's six-year apprenticeship with Francisco Pacheco, backdated to 10 December 1610. A learned teacher, Pacheco encouraged his pupils' intellectual development: with him Velázquez studied the classics, proportion and perspective and followed the literary and artistic circles of Seville.

30 August 1623

Philip IV sits for Velázquez for the first time

After the death of the king's favourite court painter, Rodrigo de Villandrando, the Count-Duke of Olivares summoned Velázquez to court. The king sat for him, the portrait pleased, and Olivares ordered the painter to move to Madrid.

6 October 1623

Appointed court painter

Velázquez was appointed court painter in place of the late Villandrando at twenty ducats a month, plus fees for his pictures. The king repeated to him Alexander the Great's promise to Apelles: “No one but you shall paint me from now on.”

July 1629

First journey to Italy

With the king's leave Velázquez left Madrid together with General Spinola, newly appointed to command Spain's forces in Italy. Suspicious Italians took Olivares's protégé for little short of a Spanish spy, but his own aim was “to perfect his professional skill”.

6 de agosto de 1660

Died