Diego Velázquez - Denton, TX
N 33° 12.778 W 097° 08.850
14S E 672648 N 3676426
A bronze sculpture of artist Diego Velázquez on his horse stands near the General Academic Building on the grounds of the University of North Texas, Denton, TX.
Waymark Code: WM12YDZ
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 08/06/2020
Views: 5
Constance Whitney Warren created this ten foot bronze sculpture in 1924, featuring Diego Velázquez riding his horse. Velázquez is famous enough, but there is no indication as to why she chose him as her subject. He was Felipe IV's court painter during Spain's Siglo de Oro, and as Warren had an affinity for representing horses in her works, maybe she had an interest in Spain's heyday or Velázquez's art. Or both. Sadly, her career would end in 1930, cut short by mental illness.
The concrete base is roughly 5' wide with a modern bronze plaque that reads:
Equestrian Portrait of Diego Velázquez
Constance Whitney Warren, 1924
Gift of the Harlan Crow Family
An artist's easel is on the front, and if there is an author's signature, it's not obvious. On the back, the foundry is identified as "H. ROUARD Foundeur PARIS". As one might expect, the sculpture has developed a green patina due to oxidation, and some of that is running down onto the base.
Velázquez is shown with his body slightly turned to allow the viewer to see him and the horse at all angles, and he is looking at something in the distance. He might be a little larger than life-size, and his floppy hat, cape, gloves, high boots, and spurs are appropriate to a member of 17th century Spanish nobility. Besides the reins, he's holding something unidentifiable in his right hand. The horse is at a trot, with its left rear and right front legs off the ground, its head pulled in close to its neck. Its mane is long and styled, and note the bow on its tail and its decorative bridle. Today, bushes are an obstacle along the horse's and rider's left sides, but they really block the base more than anything, obscuring only parts of the statue proper.
In 1994, the work was donated to the university by the Harlan Crow Family in Dallas, but even UNT's own Portal to Texas History has no indication as to what the sculpture was doing between 1924 and 1994.
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