Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velazquez (1599-1660) : A Spaniard (as you guessed by the name) and one of the foremost Baroque artists. A great portraitist, he was Spain's court painter for most of his life. His early works feature strong dynamics and forms; as he grew older, his works became more subtle and dignified, with exacting color and composition. Unlike most Spanish artists, his style was not truly distinct from other artists; he was just better.