Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez

Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez was a Spanish painter who was born in 1599. He was known for his paintings of royalty and nobility, as well as his self-portraits. He also created many works depicting scenes from daily life, such as bullfights and military battles.

Velazquez studied art under the tutelage of Francisco Pacheco (1564-1644), a prominent artist during the Baroque period who worked in Toledo and Madrid. After Velazquez completed his studies with Pacheco, he traveled to Italy where he met with other artists who were also inspired by the Italian Renaissance painters.