Diego de Guevara facts for kids
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Don Diego de Guevara (born around 1450 – died 1520) was an important Spanish courtier and ambassador. He worked for four, and possibly five, different rulers of Burgundy. These rulers belonged to the Valois and Habsburg families. Diego de Guevara spent most of his time serving them in the Low Countries (which are now Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg). He was also a very keen collector of art.
Diego de Guevara's Life and Work
Diego de Guevara was born around 1450. He was the younger son of Ladrón de Guevara, a lord from Escalante in northern Spain. He started working at the Burgundian court when he was quite young. Some records say he spent "all his youth" there.
He served several Dukes of Burgundy:
- He was an esquire (a knight's assistant) for Duke Charles the Bold.
- After Charles's death, he served Charles's daughter, Mary of Burgundy.
- Then he worked for Mary's son, Philip the Handsome.
Diego de Guevara moved up in his career. By 1501, he became a chamberlain, which was a very important role in the royal household. In 1506, he became the chief maitre d'hotel (like a head manager) for Philip's wife, Queen Joanna of Castile. This was when they traveled to Spain.
He also worked as an ambassador, representing the Duke in other countries. He went on missions to England and to the court of Ferdinand II of Aragon. After Philip the Handsome died in 1506, Diego continued to serve Philip's son, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Charles V made him a knight of the Order of Calatrava in 1517. In 1518, he became Mayordomo mayor. This was a top job, putting him in charge of Charles V's personal rooms and arrangements.
Diego de Guevara passed away in Brussels on December 15, 1520. He had one son, Felipe de Guevara, who was also interested in art.
Diego de Guevara as an Art Collector
Diego de Guevara owned many famous artworks. Some of these paintings are still well-known today.
One of the most famous paintings he owned was the Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck. This painting was made in 1434 and is now in the National Gallery, London. Diego de Guevara gave it to Margaret of Austria around 1516. Margaret was Mary of Burgundy's other child. She was also in charge of the Netherlands for her nephew, Charles V.
His own portrait, painted by his friend Michael Sittow, is thought to be from around 1517. This painting is now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington. We know it's likely Diego because his son, Felipe de Guevara, described it in his book about painting. This portrait was part of a diptych (a two-panel artwork). The other panel was a Madonna and Child painting, which is now in a museum in Berlin.
Diego de Guevara also collected works by the famous artist Hieronymous Bosch. Between 1570 and 1596, Philip II of Spain bought several of these paintings from Diego and Felipe's family. These included The Haywain Triptych and Cutting the Stone, which are now in the Prado Museum in Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Diego de Guevara para niños
