Master of illusion: Velazquez, virtuoso of the Spanish Golden AgeCourt painter to King Philip IV of Spain, Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez (June 1599 August 6, 1660) is not only a leading light of the Spanish Golden Age, but among the most celebrated masters in all Western art history. Monet and Renoir, Corot and Courbet, Degas and Dali all hailed his influence. Picasso was so inspired by his masterpiece Las Meninas that he painted 44 variations of it.Velazquez s importance is found particu