The royal gaze of Diego Velázquez
Goya and the raw truth of the Bourbons
The Habsburg collectors and their dark treasures
From royal palace to the people's museum
YOUR GOAL
Master of The royal gallery where history stares back
galleta The Royal Gaze of Velázquez
Look in the glass, meet the royal gaze, standing where the monarchs stood
galleta King Philip IV of Spain formed a deep, lifelong friendship with his court painter.
galleta Velázquez painted court jesters and dwarfs with the same dignity and direct gaze as royalty.
galleta Tap the winking portraits to discover how Spain's kings watch you observe their history.
Velázquez's red cross: Legend says King Philip IV himself painted the red cross of the Order of Santiago onto Velázquez's self-portrait in Las Meninas after the artist died.
A steady, intent look. Diego Velázquez revolutionized this visual concept in 1656 with his Spanish court masterpiece, Las Meninas.
How did Diego Velázquez uniquely portray court dwarfs and jesters in his paintings?
Why did Spanish King Philip IV restrict other artists from painting his official portrait?
In Las Meninas, what is Diego Velázquez holding in his hand as he looks at the viewer?
What prestigious knightly order's red cross is painted on Diego Velázquez's chest in Las Meninas?
Which royal couple is reflected in the background mirror of Diego Velázquez's painting Las Meninas?
Who is the young princess at the center of Diego Velázquez's 1656 masterpiece Las Meninas?