The still life studies in 'Christ in the House of Martha and Mary' are exceptional. Even at 19, Velázquez shows an impressively deft technique. The chips on the enamel plates are done with single strokes of thick paint, the pieces of translucent garlic skin with a couple of quick flicks of thinner paint.

This fluidity and economy of technique was something that Velázquez continued to improve throughout his career. The embroidery on the doublet of Philip IV in 'Philip IV of Spain in Brown and Silver' looks, from a distance, like the painstaking reproduction of a delicate pattern, yet up close, the effect is surprisingly sketchy and rough. Step away from the painting again, and it immediately transforms into an intricate pattern.

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