Gone Without a Trace? Searching for the Tomb of the Famous Artist Diego Velazquez

Diego Velázquez was a standout artist amongst iconic Spanish painters and his artwork is famous around the world. As a painter in the court of King Phillip IV of Spain, Velázquez is best known for his detailed and precise portraits.

Over the last few years, Spanish officials conducted several kinds of research about some of the most famous Spaniards. The studies often involved recovering bones from old tombs situated in churches and graveyards to examine them and settle their identities. One of the most significant discoveries was finding the remains of Miguel Cervantes, author of the well-known book Don Quixote. In addition to this, a few years ago another research team used DNA analysis to conclude that bones from a cathedral in Seville belonged to Christopher Columbus. However, not all the projects ended with positive results. One of the most unfortunate stories is related to the tomb of the famed Spanish artist Diego Velázquez.

Adoración de los Magos (The Adoration of the Magi) (1619) by Diego Velázquez. (Public Domain) It has been proposed that Velázquez’s models for this painting were his daughter Francisca (as baby Jesus), his wife Juana (the Virgin Mary), his father-in-law Pacheco (Melchoir) and himself as Caspar.