Alonso Sánchez Coello
Alonso Sánchez Coello | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1532 |
Died | 8 August 1588 (aged 55–56) Madrid, Spain |
Nationality | Spanish |
Known for | Painting |
Movement | Spanish Renaissance |
Alonso Sánchez Coello (c. 1531 – 8 August 1588) was an Iberian portrait painter of the Spanish and Portuguese Renaissance. He is mainly known for his portrait paintings executed in a style which combines the objectivity of the Flemish tradition with the sensuality of Venetian painting. He was court painter to Philip II.[1]
Life
Alonso Sánchez Coello was born in
In 1552, the painter went to
Sánchez Coello became Court Painter in 1560. Sánchez Coello married Louisa Reyaltes, a daughter of a silversmith, in either 1560 or 1561 in Valladolid. The couple had seven children. Coello's daughter, Isabel Sánchez (1564–1612), became a painter. She studied and helped in her father's workshop. The painter moved with the court to Toledo and finally settled in Madrid in 1561. Coello worked on religious themes for most of the palaces, particularly for El Escorial, and larger churches.[3] Philip II held him in high esteem and was godfather to two of his daughters. The painter spent the remainder of his life at the court, becoming a personal favourite of the king and acquiring honours and wealth.
Among his disciples were Juan Pantoja de la Cruz and Felipe de Liaño. Lope de Vega praised Coello in his work Laurel to Apolo. Alonso Sánchez Coello died in Madrid on 8 August 1588.
Works
While Coello produced both portraits and religious paintings, it is for his portraits that he is chiefly remembered. They are marked by an ease of pose and execution, a dignity and sobriety of representation, and warmth of colouring. Although influenced by the paintings of both Mor and Titian, these portraits display an original talent and reflect admirably the modesty and formality of the Spanish court. Paintings of Philip II (c. 1580) and Infanta
Coello was a follower of Titian, and, like him, excelled in portraits and single figures, elaborating the textures of his armours, draperies, and such accessories in a manner that had a notable influence on Velázquez's style regarding those objects.[3] From Mor, Coello learned precision in representation, and from Titian he incorporated Venetian gold tones, generous workmanship, and the use of light on a canvas.[4] While his debt to Mor is evident, Coello brought distinctive qualities to the court portrait, notably a sharp sense of colour, a crispness of execution and a heightened realism. Coello's reputation as a portraitist has been diluted by the innumerable copies and imitations that wrongly bear his name. In the absence of a biographical study of Coello, many of his works are still confused with those of Sofonisba Anguissola, who painted royal portraits in the same period, and Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, Coello's pupil.
The religious works, many of which were created for
Gallery
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Joanna of Portugal, 1557. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
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Albert VII, Archduke of Austria, c. 1573. Ambras Castle
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Anna of Austria, 1571. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
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St Sebastian between St Bernard and St Francis, 1582. Museo del Prado, Madrid
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Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor as a young Archduke, 1567, Royal Collection
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Philip II of Spain, 1570s
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Portrait of the Duchess of Feria (nee Jane Dormer, 1538-1612) from Burton Constable Hall collection. Burton Constable Hall, Burton Constable, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, 1563
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Philip II of Spain, 1566
References
- ^ a b c Alfonso E. Pérez Sánchez. "Sánchez Coello, Alonso." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Dec. 2016
- ^ a b Antonio, T. de, Sánchez Coello, Alonso in: Del Greco a Goya. Obras maestras del Museo del Prado, Museo de Arte de Ponce, 2012, p. 92 (in Spanish)
- ^ a b public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Coello, Alonso Sanchez". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 642. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ Alonso Sánchez Coello (1531–88), Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–95) at the Royal Collection Trust
- ^ Vista de Sevilla – Cuadro, Alonso Sánchez Coello in the Museum of the Americas (Madrid) (in Spanish)
External links
- Media related to Alonso Sánchez Coello at Wikimedia Commons