Go See – New York: ‘Velázquez Rediscovered’ at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through February 7, 2010
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez, “Portrait of a Man,” 1630. Via The Met
Currently showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is an exhibition of works by the great Spanish painter Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez. The heart of the exhibition features a newly identified painting by the artist. Formerly ascribed to his workshop, the work was only recently re-attributed to the master himself after an incredibly revealing cleaning and restorative process. Prior to the conservation, the painting was distorted by “degraded varnish” and “discolored restoration,” obscuring significant qualities of the work. The new attribution represents a fascinating kind of case study regarding altering critical opinion surrounding the origin of a work and changes in its identification. The painting is exhibited amongst other works by the Spanish artist, to whom fewer than 120 paintings are known to exist.
Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez, “Portrait of a Man,” (Detail of face and hair) Via The Met The subjects identity remains in question.