A Homage to Velázquez
- Artist: Luca Giordano
- Date: about 1692-1700
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Homage to Velázquez" by Luca Giordano. Painted in the Italian north, this work has a fascinating history. At first glance, it appears to be an homage to Diego Velázquez and his famous painting "Las Meninas". The main figures were thought to be Velázquez himself and the young Spanish princess Margarita, but more recent research suggests that the central figure is actually the Count of Santisteban.
The Count was a powerful nobleman who served as viceroy of Naples, and he had a personal connection to Giordano. In fact, Giordano included a self-portrait in this painting, easily identifiable by his spectacles lower right. The loose brushwork and sketch-like quality are characteristic of Giordano's style.
The Count himself is depicted wearing the red cross of the Order of Santiago, which he became a member of in 1672. He was a prominent figure at the Spanish court, and this painting is likely a tribute to his status. With its dynamic sense of immediacy and confident handling of paint, "A Homage to Velázquez" is a captivating work that continues to intrigue art lovers today.
See it in person
A Homage to Velázquez hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
