The reign of Philip III (15781621) was a time of cultural and political vitality for the Spanish monarchy. Accordingly, the art of this period flourished, witnessing the birth of a naturalistic style that was variously reflected in a new attention to detail and spatiality in court portraiture, the thriving of still life, the humanizing of saints and the development of polychrome sculpture. Focusing on the careers of the mature El Greco and the young Velázquez, which bookend this exciting period of resurgent court culture, this volume provides indispensable perspectives on the historical, literary, cultural and religious contexts in which these artists lived. The product of twenty years of research, and illustrated with a sumptuousness befitting its subject, El Greco to Velázquez is sure to become a standard reference for students of Spanish art.