Explore the London Version about the Versions of this artwork, The Waterseller of Seville.
The painting by Velazquez is shown in three different paintings. The version in the Apsley House, London, United Kingdom, is the version that is most popular.
It entered the Royal Spanish Collection. From the Buen Retiro Palace, it went to the Palacio Nuevo. There it was seen by Ponz and had won praise by Anton Raphael Mengs. It was stolen by Joseph Bonaparte at the time of the Napoleonic wars. The Duke of Wellington later won it back – along with 82 other paintings – at the Battle of Vitoria. The King of Spain allowed him to keep them in return for beating the French. Wellington brought the painting back to England where it remains to this day, in Apsley House, his former home. This version is hung in the Waterloo Gallery in the museum side of the House (the current Duke of Wellington holds several private rooms still) so can be viewed by the public.
Joseph Bonaparte Napoleonic wars King of Spain Waterloo Gallery The Duke of Wellington Anton Raphael Mengs Royal Spanish Collection Buen Retiro Palace Battle of Vitoria United Kingdom London Apsley House Palacio Nuevo