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
Baron Rokeby Riding of Yorkshire from Sir Thomas Rokeby in 1610. He died childless and was succeeded according to the special remainder by his younger brother, the second Baronet. He was also childless and succeeded by his younger brother, the aforementioned first Baron Rokeby. See above for further history of the baronetcy. Elizabeth Montagu, sister of the second Baron, was a social reformer, patron of the arts, hostess, literary critic and writer. Sarah Scott, another sister of the second Baron, was a novelist, translator and social reformer. The title of the barony was pronounced "Rookbie". Baron Rokeby Baron Rokeby, of Armagh in