Born in 1599, Diego Velàzquez was a contemporary of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Anthony van Dyck, and became a leading painter in the court of King Philip IV of Spain. He is considered to be one of the most important painters of the Spanish Golden Age and one of the most influential painters of his time.

In this lecture Tom Richards, Assistant Director of The Florence Academy of Art, guides us through the career of Velázquez from his early work onwards and discusses his progression as a painter and how he was impacted by his travels, various works of art, and mentors.