El retrato de Juan de Pareja de Diego Velázquez

Juan de Pareja was a slave whom Velázquez used to assist him in his creative process. We have a portrait of him because Velázquez had to present a sample to Pope Innocent X so the pope could see his painting style. Despite Pareja's status, Velázquez, as he did with the court jesters, painted Juan de Pareja with great dignity. We are looking at one of the greatest artists not only of the Baroque period but of all time.