Phillip IV and Velazquez

The Prado has an exceptional collection of Velazquez' work.   Diego Velázquez (1599–1660) was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV, one of the greatest art collecting Spanish kings.  In addition to numerous renditions of scenes of historical and cultural significance, he created scores of portraits of the Spanish royal family, other notable European figures, and commoners. In many portraits, Velázquez gave a dignified quality to less fortunate members of society like beggars and dwarfs. In contrast to these portraits, the gods and goddesses of Velázquez tend to be portrayed as common people, without divine characteristics.

Besides the forty portraits of Philip by Velázquez, he painted portraits of other members of the royal family, including princes, infantas (princesses), and queens.  One thing that struck me when I was in the gallery that displayed these huge paintings of the royal family was not only did Velazquez paint the family as he saw them, but that there was  tremendous family resemblance between each of them.  To the left is Phillip IV's brother, and above is he, painted at about the same time, 1626-8.