I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino

Introducing the Novel 1) based on a true story. 2) Juan de Pareja, an enslaved man, really did exist in the 17th century. 3) A portrait of him still exists today. Painted by Diego Velazquez, perhaps the greatest painter in Spanish history. 4) De Pareja’s journey from his childhood home to the house of the great artist is sometimes touching and frightening. 5) He is enslaved, and his life is not his own. 6) He has no money, and he cannot own property.

7) De Pareja must hide his growing interest in art, because it is illegal for enslaved people to practice the arts. 8) De Pareja is a person of deep feelings. A true friendship develops between Velazquez and Juan, and it is this friendship that is the real story of I, Juan de Pareja. 9) The story takes place in Spain during the 17 century. 10) Spain’s King Philip IV was not interested in politics, but rather in arts and culture. 11) The court and the artists of that era represented a golden empire at its height.

Did You Know? 17th century Art & architecture in Europe were heavily influenced by what is called the “Baroque” style. b) Baroque art is mostly known for its grandeur and richness, and its sense of motion and energy. c) Artists were concerned with individuals & tried to show them as realistically as possible through the use of fine details.. d) Baroque artists were also interested in the use of light and shadow. e) Baroque art expresses the uniqueness of its subjects and a truer picture of proportion and perspective.. f) It is not clear where the word “Baroque” originated.

g) There are two theories g) There are two theories. One is that the word comes from the Italian word barocco, which is used to describe twisted logic. h) Another theory is that baroque comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning an oddly shaped pearl. In either case, the term was not used as praise. j) As the value of new styles became clear, the word baroque gradually lost its negative meaning.

Focus Activity What is your earliest memory? Write about it. Be sure to include lots of detail (when, where, who, what). Length: 1/2 page to a page.