Rokeby Venus its central use of a mirror, and because it shows the body of Venus turned away from the observer of the painting. The "Rokeby Venus" is the only surviving female nude by Velázquez. Nudes were extremely rare in seventeenth-century Spanish art, which was policed actively by members of the Spanish Inquisition. Despite this, nudes by foreign artists were keenly collected by the court circle, and this painting was hung in the houses of Spanish courtiers until 1813, when it was brought to England to hang in Rokeby Park, Yorkshire. In 1906, the painting was purchased by National Art Collections Fund
Matthew Montagu, 4th Baron Rokeby C F Greville. He married on 9 July 1785, Elizabeth (died 7 March 1817), daughter and heir of Francis Charlton of Kent, who bore him six sons and seven daughters: Matthew Montagu, 4th Baron Rokeby Matthew Montagu, 4th Baron Rokeby (23 November 1762 – Montagu House, Portman Square, 1 September 1831), FRS, 6th Bart., known as Matthew Robinson until 1776, was a British Member of Parliament, and briefly a baronet and Peer of the Realm. Montagu was born Matthew Robinson, the son of Morris Robinson of the Six Clerks' Office, Chancery Lane and nephew of Matthew Robinson, 2nd Baron Rokeby.