Spanish school, follower of DIEGO RODRIGEZ DE... Lot n° 32

Spanish school, follower of DIEGO RODRIGEZ DE SILVA Y VELÁZQUEZ (Seville, 1599 - Madrid,1660); 17th century. "The Jester Sebastián de Morra". Oil on canvas. Re-coloured. It presents damages in the pictorial surface. Measurements: 40 x 26 cm. This work replicates the well-known portrait of Sebastián de Morra nicknamed "the cousin", which was painted by Velázquez around the year 1645. The original work is currently in the Prado Museum in Madrid. In both pieces we see the representation of the jester of King Philip IV, who at first formed part of the court of the Cardinal Infante Don Fernando of Austria, and after his death moved to the protection of Prince Baltasar Carlos, who bequeathed him several objects in his will. Both portraits have the same composition, with the jester in the centre of the scene, seated against a neutral background that gives the figure all the prominence. Despite the damage that can be seen in this work, and the tonal darkness that does not allow all the details to be made out, it is possible to see the suit with lace at the neck, a symbol of distinction and royal protection that the sitter enjoyed, as this type of garment was forbidden for anyone who did not belong to the aristocracy. The work belongs to a series of portraits painted by Velázquez with the intention of decorating the secondary or transitional rooms of the palace (corridors, staircases, etc.). This set of portraits has generated great interest throughout the history of art, and has therefore been widely debated, with theories such as that these works were painted by Velázquez with the intention of dignifying the sitters and criticising the society of the time. Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660) was the leading artist of the court of King Philip IV of Spain and Portugal, and of the Spanish Golden Age. He began painting in a precise tenebrist style, later developing a freer form characterised by bold brushstrokes. In addition to numerous interpretations of scenes of historical and cultural importance, he painted dozens of portraits of the Spanish royal family and commoners, culminating in his masterpiece Las Meninas (1656). Velázquez's work became a model for 19th-century realist and impressionist painters. In the 20th century, artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Francis Bacon paid homage to Velázquez by reinterpreting some of his most iconic images.