GRECO TO VELAZQUEZ, EL - ART DURING THE REIGN OF PHILIP III

Philip III (1578-1621) presided over an era of crucial artistic development in Spain. His reign was a time of cultural and political vitality for the Spanish monarchy, as the king and his court ushered in a style of grandeur where fabulous gala celebrations, building campaigns, picture collecting, recreation and travel were the order of the day. The art of this period flourished, witnessing the birth of a naturalistic style that was reflected in a new attention to detail and spatiality in courtportraiture; the thriving of still life; the humanizing of saints; and the development of polychromatic sculpture.