Diego Velázquez
Let's move to the realm of the Habsburg family—to Spain in the 17th century.
Do you recognize this girl? Yes, she is the main character of the famous Las Meninas!
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the infanta Margarita, thanks to Velázquez, is the most famous child of Western art history. Unfortunately, her life wasn't long. Born in 1651, Margarita was betrothed at an early age to her uncle, the future Emperor Leopold I, and they married in 1666. She died in Vienna in 1673 during her seventh pregnancy. This imposing portrait, showing the infanta at the age of eight, was sent to the Vienna court as a gift the same year it was painted.
Velázquez maintained his leading position at the Spanish court for 40 years, fending off ambitious rivals. Unlike Rubens, who secured significant independence while serving the Spanish regents in Brussels, Velázquez remained bound to the traditional duties of a court painter. In the portraits he regularly painted for the royal family, he adhered to the traditional gestures and accessories of court portraiture but revolutionized their painterly execution. The splendidly dressed child's figure gains unity and three-dimensional quality from a certain distance. The cool, metallic effect of her garment contrasts with her delicate skin and is reflected in her blue eyes.
P.S. Infanta Margarita is the main figure of the most famous (and most mysterious) work by Velázquez. Here's all you need to know about Las Meninas!