Diary

One day in 1656, five years later, I have finished the painting in which
I have worked so long, The Family of Felipe IV. Im very proud that
the king has relied on me in spite of the fact that his family is going
through a bad time.
When I was hired to paint this picture I thought about doing
something special, anything I had never done before. Although I was
aware that it would imply a risky gamble, I knew that the result would
be good enough to be remembered so I decided to portray myself
with the rest of the family.
We were in my studio, white walls covered with paintings and large
windows served as scene. Despite being a large room, its warm light
and the presence of all the family made me feel comfortable as well
as motivated. Felipe IV and Mariana, dressed in their best, were in
front of me, looking at a plane mirror with a lovely frame located just
at the bottom of the room.
They had to spend a lot of time posing for me, so occasionally their
family came for a visit. Princess Margarita, always accompanied by
her two dwarfs, was full of childish grace, showing some feminine
coquetry considering how difficult it must be to wear a rigid court suit.
I remember how Maria Agustina, one of her two very helpful ladies-inwaiting, usually brought a fresh small vessel made of scented in
which the princess used to drink. The queen's chamberlain and the
princesss Chaperone also shared their time with us.
I couldnt finish the painting without including the large and powerful
family dog so noble and calm that it wasnt disturbed when the
dwarfs foot was hitting its back. Maybe the comfortable atmosphere
helped it to calm down.
To sum up, I would like to admit that Im very proud of this painting. I
have done a good job so I hope that people and, in special, the family
of Felipe IV will be able to appreciate it.

La familia de Felipe IV, 1656,

(Barroco), leo sobre lienzo, 318 x 276
cm., Museo del Prado, Madrid (ES)