In this stimulating book, a leading authority on the Spanish master Diego Velazquez discusses this enigmatic artist and explores the mysteries presented by his paintings.

The essays collected here, written over the course of Jonathan Brown's distinguished career, include some which are published in English for the first time and one which has never before been published. Two themes unite them. The first concerns the changing relationship between Velazquez and his patron Philip IV, which provides a framework for Brown to interpret the painter's career. The centerpiece of this relationship is Velaquez's masterpiece, Las Meninas, and this painting is the subject of two essays. The second theme is the problem of attributions and the related issue of Velazquez's innovative technique. Since Velazquez was not a prolific painter, questions of authenticity become increasingly contentious. Brown considers this matter in its widest dimensions and participates in the debate about individual attributions.

Distributed for the Centro de Estudios Europa Hispanica

About the Author

Jonathan Brown is the Carroll and Milton Petrie Professor of Fine Arts at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. He is the author of the standard biography on Velazquez, Velazquez, Painter and Courtier.

Book Information
ISBN 9780300144932
Author Jonathan Brown
Format Paperback
Page Count 410
Imprint Yale University Press
Publisher Yale University Press
Weight(grams) 1338g