Velázquez
Fundamental Paintings to Understand the History of Painting
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Innocent X (1650). Velázquez.
Oil on canvas. 140 cm x 120 cm
Doria Pamphili Gallery. Rome, Italy.
The portrait of Innocent X painted by Velázquez is a disturbing work at first. There is “something that is not right.” Until we realize we are looking at a Pope without sweetness or sanctity.
This Pope is severe, suspicious, closer to Earth than to Heaven.
Velázquez’s ability to paint the soul of his characters, their miseries and humanity with his typical brushstrokes is a skill for which has been considered as one of greatest of the history of painting.
The characters Velázquez depicted are “overwhelmingly full of life.”
He was realistic to the extreme: in addition to showing the psychological world of the character —Velázquez’s portraits are perfect examples of the genre “psychological portrait”— we can see that he did not “beautify” any feature, not even those of the Pope. Another artist would have given him a brilliant and soft skin instead of the reddish skin and untidy beard we can observe.
King Philip IV, who loved to be portrayed, had already warned the Pope that if Velázquez portrayed him, he surely would realize he was older than he thought.
And Philip IV was right, since Innocent X was upset when the painting was finished. And with a note of disappointment in his voice, he qualified the work with just two words: “troppo vero” (too real).
Recommended links:
The Story of the Velázquez’s Painting which was Stabbed.
The Spinners or The Fable of Arachne (1655-1660) by Velázquez.
Velázquez, the Painter of the Greatness and the Miseries of Men.
Six Paintings: Rubens, Wonderful Example of Baroque Painting.
Rembrandt, Synonym of Chiaroscuro and Baroque.
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