In this volume, an art historian and a conservation scientist discuss the techniques Velazquez created in order to realize his artistic vision. Examining 30 works by Velazquez that span his entire career, the authors show how his technical achievement developed over time.
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"Velazquez: The Technique of Genius is an illuminating introduction to what can be learnt from the surface of the pictures... It is built round illustrations of details, nearly all from paintings in the Prado." Peter Campbell, London Review of Books "A ravishingly beautiful, highly informative book. Brown and Garrido work well together, interweaving the artistic/historical background with the messy forensic facts effortlessly; the detail is stunning." George Crisp, Art Review
About the Author
Jonathan Brown is Carroll and Milton Petrie Professor of Fine Arts at New York University. He is the author of many books on Spanish art, including The Golden Age of Painting in Spain, Velazquez: Painter and Courtier, and, with John Elliott, Palace for a King, all published by Yale University Press. Carmen Garrido is head of technical services at the Prado Museum in Madrid.
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First Sentence
The life and career of Diego de Velazquez revolved around a weighty dilemma-how could he reconcile his artistic genius with a powerful desire to attain lofty social status? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
The life and career of Diego de Velazquez revolved around a weighty dilemma-how could he reconcile his artistic genius with a powerful desire to attain lofty social status? Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This recent addition to my Velazquez collection, is by far the best yet on the technique of this master painter. Jonathan Brown has again produced a book with wonderful information and reproductions. A must have for the Art historian, Art lover, and Fanatic of Velazquez!
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book has many wonderful reproductions, including a lot of "extreme close-ups". The close-ups are great...you can see details of how Velazquez achieved certain effects- such as concentrated spots of pigment to represent the glitter of jewelery, or applying a transparent black "wash" over the white pages in a "book", to give the impression that there is writing in the "book". Additionally, Professor Brown provides a nice biographical sketch of Velazquez in the first 20 pages of the book, and he writes very well indeed. The commentary that accompanies the plates contains a lot of fascinating historical information- we learn a lot about the "court" of Philip IV, the roles of dwarves and jesters, etc. The author discusses the symbolism included in the paintings- for example, the importance of showing the king in control of a horse (which implies he is a good ruler as well as a good horseman). One of the most fascinating plates is the portrait of Mariana of Austria, who was Philip's second wife. Professor Brown explains that Philip's first wife, and his only son, had died and the king needed to remarry and produce a male heir. Unfortunately, Mariana was Philip's niece. As you might expect, the only surviving male heir of their marriage, Charles II, proved incapable of ruling and also of having any children of his own. With his death, the Habsburg dynasty of Spain came to an end. But the physical act of painting the picture also ties into this sad story. Velazquez was a very "economical" painter (some might say lazy). He wasn't very productive, and he also didn't like to waste canvasses he had worked on. In this case, he had started a canvas of Philip IV. The physical resemblance between Philip and his niece was so great that the artist was able to paint Mariana's face over Philip's.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Miffy
Format:Paperback
This book is absolutely fantastic! It's a brilliant buy if you are especially interested in making paintings yourself or of studying them in depth. The quality of the illustrations both whole and the details are fab and the writing too is excellent.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This recent addition to my Velazquez collection, is by far the best yet on the technique of this master painter. Jonathan Brown has again produced a book with wonderful information and reproductions. A must have for the Art historian, Art lover, and Fanatic of Velazquez!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This recent addition to my Velazquez collection, is by far the best yet on the technique of this master painter. Jonathan Brown has again produced a book with wonderful information and reproductions. A must have for the Art historian, Art lover, and Fanatic of Velazquez!
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
jonathan brown's book constitutes a marvelous addition to the existing bibliography on the undisputed "best master painter of all time". after pouring over its pages and countless illustrations i feel so much closer to the supreme genius only velazquez possessed. a truly marvelous book.
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