Velázquez at the Royal Court

Timeline

1. 1631–1632Madrid · SpainAfter ending his first Italian trip (1629–1631), Velázquez returned to Madrid and resumed his position as chief court painter. He brought back an in-depth study of the Italian Renaissance and the Venetian school, achieving a more mature style with notable breakthroughs in natural light handling and the rendering of figures' volume, and was commissioned to paint multiple formal portraits of King Philip IV and his family.
2. 1634–1635Madrid, Buen Retiro Palace · SpainPhilip IV built the new Buen Retiro Palace, and Velázquez led the painting decoration project for the Hall of Realms (Salón de Reinos), creating several large historical and military paintings for it. The most famous is The Surrender of Breda (Las Lanzas, c. 1634–1635), depicting the historical scene of the Spanish army accepting the surrender of the Dutch city of Breda in 1625, renowned for its balanced composition and humanitarian spirit, and hailed as a masterpiece of Western history painting.
3. 1636–1640Madrid · SpainIn the later 1630s Velázquez continued producing portrait series for the royal family while exploring mythological and allegorical subjects, creating works such as Mars (The Forge of Vulcan dates from his 1630 Roman period), showing a secular reinterpretation of ancient mythological figures. He also served as chamberlain of the palace household, participating in managing the royal collections and palace decorations, making him a central figure of the Spanish court in both administration and art.