Camille Alexandre
Juan de Pareja (Spanish, 1601-1670). The Calling of Saint Matthew. 1661. Oil on canvas. 88 9/16 in. × 10 ft. 7 15/16 in Shifting the Perspective: Exploring Juan De Pareja's Narrative and the Obstructions of White Supremacy
During the seventeenth century, the Baroque period witnessed a thriving culture of artistic expression across Europe. Amidst the opulence and innovation, the contributions of diverse artists were lost to the prevailing narrative- their work overshadowed by the dominant influence of white European artists. Among these overlooked artists is Juan de Pareja (c. 1606 – c. 1670), a Spanish painter of mixed-African heritage who faced many systemic barriers due to the white supremacist laws that ruled European society.
For many years, Juan de Pareja was an artist whose story was lost to the canon of art history. He was born into slavery, and served as an enslaved assistant to the renowned painter Diego Velázquez. During the Baroque era, Spain was deeply entrenched in the transatlantic slave trade, and individuals of African descent occupied subordinate positions in Spanish society. Juan de Pareja’s enslaved status would have subjected him to the dehumanizing treatment and systemic racism that characterized the era, but despite these challenges, de Pareja managed to navigate his circumstances with remarkable resilience and determination. He honed his craft under Velázquez's mentorship and eventually gained his freedom, becoming a successful painter whose work dismantled racial stereotypes. By exploring Juan de Pareja’s narrative, my research seeks to uncover how white supremacy has shaped the Western canon, and the legacy racism has left in the art world.
Juan de Pareja (Spanish, 1606-1670). El Bautismo de Cristo/ The Baptism of Christ. 1667. Oil on canvas. 90 3/16 in. × 11 ft. 7 in.“The Baptism of Christ” is a dynamic work by Juan de Pareja that highlights his talent in the Baroque aesthetic. The scale and details of this painting make clear that Pareja was a skilled and capable artist, bringing into question why this work was not celebrated or critiqued to the same degree as artwork by his white peers. Perhaps his background was a factor, however this is difficult to assess specifically because there are no traces of Pareja’s identity in this work. There is no self-portrait to act as a signature, or any diverse subjects depicted, so when engaging with this work, the race and ethnicity of the artist should not have been be a factor. However, while this work has existed for centuries, it was only recently introduced as a painting worth consideration in the art historical educational canon.
Velázquez (Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez) (Spanish, 1599-1660). Portrait of Juan de Pareja. 1650. Oil on canvas. 32 x 27 1/2 in. For many years, Juan de Pareja was enslaved by Velázquez and served as an apprentice in his workshop. In 1649, Pareja accompanied Velázquez on a trip to Italy, where this portrait of him was completed. The painting was exhibited in the Pantheon of Rome in March 1650 and was so well received that Velázquez granted Pareja a letter of freedom, which allowed Pareja to pursue his own artistic career. Despite Juan de Pareja’s achievements as a painter, Velázquez’s portrait is still how many people become acquainted with him: as the subject of another artist’s work.
Juan de Pareja (Spanish, 1601-1670). The Calling of Saint Matthew. 1661. Oil on canvas. 88 9/16 in. × 10 ft. 7 15/16 in “The Calling of Saint Matthew” is widely considered the masterpiece of Juan de Pareja’s oeuvre. The painting depicts a biblical story about change- change in identity and change in faith. One of the most interesting aspects about Pareja’s “The Calling of Saint Matthew” is the inclusion of his self-portrait and how he chose to depict himself in this particular narrative.
In this painting, Juan de Pareja embraces the narrative of change as he sheds his identity as someone who was formerly enslaved and fashions himself as a Spanish noble. His clothing, posture, and direct gaze at the viewer emphasize someone of African heritage who was free and of high social status, contradicting the narratives around race that were prominent during his time and long after. For Pareja, it was a way to assert his freedom and depict himself proudly, in the manner in which he wanted history to remember him.
Colorism and a preferred proximity to whiteness were present in European culture during the Baroque period, and the complicated nuances of Pareja’s identity as an Afro-Hispanic man may have affected the way he depicted himself.
A subject’s pose, dress, accessories, and skin color were all important social indicators, and in Juan de Pareja’s “The Calling of Saint Matthew”, many of the visual markers that determined one’s status and social position in 17th-century Spain are present throughout the composition.
In the detailed view of Pareja’s self-portrait, he appears to have more dominant European traits, such as his bone structure and a lighter skin complexion, depicting himself as more racially ambiguous than Velázquez’s portrait of him. This could indicate that while he was comfortable being depicted as a noble, the effects of colorism may have had some impact on his relationship with race and his self-image.
Juan de Pareja (Spanish, 1601-1670). Detail of The Calling of Saint Matthew. 1661. Oil on canvas. 88 9/16 in. × 10 ft. 7 15/16 in 
Bartolomé Estebán Murillo (Spanish, 1617–1682). Three Boys. ca. 1670. Oil on canvas. 66 1/4 × 43 1/4 in. Three Boys (1670) by Murillo depicts an interesting dismantling of racial stereotypes in 17th-century Spain. While all three subjects can be assumed to be impoverished based on their clothing, the Black child is shown with his hand out and implied to be begging. In reality, research proposes that while this child may have been enslaved, he is merely a water seller.
This painting relies on deeper levels of engagement to bypass inherent biases and racial stereotypes that would have seen viewers initially assume the Black child to be the thief or the beggar. Negative depictions of Black subjects, or Black subjects existing solely in servitude would have been popular during Murillo and Pareja’s lifetime, and both artists breaking away from that is significant to the canon. While Murillo veered toward depicting poverty, and Pareja toward nobility, both artists challenged the role of Black subjects in Baroque art.
Camille Alexandre
(she/her)
Art History ‘24
My name is Camille and I study Art History and Africology. During my time at Temple, I’ve learned to utilize a multidisciplinary approach to examine depictions of Black figures in art, particularly paintings from the Baroque period in Southern Europe. When time allows, I love watching Studio Ghibli movies, reading fantasy novels and exploring the world- from glittering alleys in Tokyo to hidden beaches in Greece. I plan to continue my studies and pursue a career where I can be an advocate for engaging with art through a more diverse lens.