In the nineteenth century, British scholars, critics and artists had an increasing interest in the work of Diego Velázquez, who is now considered one of Spain's greatest artists. His paintings could be studied both on tours to Spain and within British collections, which were gradually enriched with them.
Velázquez' work had a direct affect on late nineteenth century painters in a variety of ways. Sir John Everett Millais concentrated on evoking the rich, painterly qualities of Velazquez' technique while others, such as James McNeill Whistler, adopted poses from his portraiture.
Academic interest in the work of Velázquez was undertaken by British historians, notably Sir William Stirling Maxwell, whose Velázquez and his Works was published in 1855. Stirling Maxwell maintained that ‘No artist of the seventeenth century equalled Velázquez in variety or power. He tried all subjects and he succeeded in all.'
