PAR EJA, JUAN DE (1606 -1670), Spanish painter, was a mestizo, born in the West Indies about 1606, and in early life passed into the service of Velazquez, who employed him in colour-grindingand other menial work of the studio. By day lie closely watched his master's methods, and by night stealthily practised with his brushes until he bad attained considerable manipulative skill. The story goes that, having succeeded in producing a picture satisfactory to himself, he contrived furtively to place it among those on which Velazquez had been working. immediately- before an expected visit of King Philip TV. The performance was duly discovered and praised, and Pareja forthwith received his freedom, which, however, he continued to devote to his former employer's service. Ins extant works are not very numerous; the best known, the Calling of St Matthew, no»- in the Royal Picture Gallery, -„\ladrid, has considerable merit as regards technique, but does not reveal much originality, insight, or devotional feeling. He died in 1670.