Francisco Herrera was born in Seville in 1576. Francisco Pacheco was his teacher, but Herrera soon broke away from the timid style and Italian traditions of Spanish painting of his day, and became the pioneer of that bold, vigorous, effective, and natural style whose preeminent exponent was Velázquez. Herrera was the first to use long brushes, which may, in part, account for his "modern" technique and dexterous brushwork. Many authorities ascribe to him the foundation of the Spanish School. His great talent brought him many pupils, whom his passionate temper and rough manners soon drove away. Velázquez, when thirteen years old, was placed under this great professor, and remained a year with him. Herrera, who was an accomplished worker in bronze, engraved medals skilfully. This gave rise to the charge of counterfeiting, and he fled for sanctuary to the Jesuit College, for which he painted "The Triumph of St. Hermengild", a picture so impressive that when Philip IV saw it (1621) he immediately pardoned the painter. Herrera thereupon returned to Seville. His ungoverned temper soon drove his son to Rome and his daughter to a nunnery. Herrera's pictures are full of energy, the drawing is good and the colouring so cleverly managed that the figures stand out in splendid relief. Many of his small easel pictures, in oil, represent fairs, dances, interiors of inns, and deal with the intimate life of Spain. His large works are nearly all religious. In Seville he painted a "St. Peter" for the cathedral and a "Last Judgment" for the Church of San Bernardo, the latter being considered his masterpiece. After executing many commissions in his native town he removed to Madrid (1650), where he won great renown. In the archiepiscopal palace are four large canvases, one of which, "Moses Smiting the Rock", is celebrated for its dramatic qualities and daring technique. In the cloister of the Merced Calzada is a noteworthy series of paintings whose subjects are drawn from the life of St. Ramon. He painted much in fresco, in which medium his best effort is believed to have been on the vault of San Bonaventura, but this, with all his other frescoes, has disappeared. None of his architectural productions are mentioned, and there remain but a few of his etchings, all of which were reproductions of his paintings. One of his pictures, "St. Basil dictating his doctrine", is in the Louvre, and another, "St. Matthew", is in the Dresden Gallery. Herrera left two sons, "el Rubio" (the ruddy) who died before he fulfilled the great promise of his youth, and "el Mozo" (the younger). He was also the godfather of the Spanish-born Portuguese painter Josefa de Óbidos.
Worksedit
Herrera's finest paintings include "The Last Judgment" and a "Holy Family," both in churches at Seville. Others are in the Louvre, Paris. They exhibit boldness of execution with faultless technique. He is known as El viejo, "the elder," to distinguish him from his son Francisco Herrera the Younger, also a noted painter. Among his pupils was Ignacio de Iriarte and a young Diego Velázquez. Among his other works are:
San Diego (Saint James) (1637), Madrid, private collection
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Francisco Herrera". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Francisco de Herrera el Viejo.
Biographie of Francisco Herrera the Elder at the Web Gallery of Art
Francisco Herrera the Elder on Artcyclopedia
Scholarly articles in English about Francisco de Herrera, the Elder both in web and PDF @ the Spanish Old Masters Gallery
April 14, 2024
francisco, herrera, elder, francisco, herrera, 1576, 1656, distinguished, spanish, painter, born, seville, founder, seville, school, curación, buenaventura, niño, francisco, 1628, contents, biography, works, references, external, linksbiography, editfrancisco,. Francisco Herrera 1576 1656 was a distinguished Spanish painter born in Seville He was the founder of the Seville school La curacion de San Buenaventura nino por San Francisco 1628 Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 3 References 4 External linksBiography editFrancisco Herrera was born in Seville in 1576 Francisco Pacheco was his teacher but Herrera soon broke away from the timid style and Italian traditions of Spanish painting of his day and became the pioneer of that bold vigorous effective and natural style whose preeminent exponent was Velazquez Herrera was the first to use long brushes which may in part account for his modern technique and dexterous brushwork Many authorities ascribe to him the foundation of the Spanish School His great talent brought him many pupils whom his passionate temper and rough manners soon drove away Velazquez when thirteen years old was placed under this great professor and remained a year with him Herrera who was an accomplished worker in bronze engraved medals skilfully This gave rise to the charge of counterfeiting and he fled for sanctuary to the Jesuit College for which he painted The Triumph of St Hermengild a picture so impressive that when Philip IV saw it 1621 he immediately pardoned the painter Herrera thereupon returned to Seville His ungoverned temper soon drove his son to Rome and his daughter to a nunnery Herrera s pictures are full of energy the drawing is good and the colouring so cleverly managed that the figures stand out in splendid relief Many of his small easel pictures in oil represent fairs dances interiors of inns and deal with the intimate life of Spain His large works are nearly all religious In Seville he painted a St Peter for the cathedral and a Last Judgment for the Church of San Bernardo the latter being considered his masterpiece After executing many commissions in his native town he removed to Madrid 1650 where he won great renown In the archiepiscopal palace are four large canvases one of which Moses Smiting the Rock is celebrated for its dramatic qualities and daring technique In the cloister of the Merced Calzada is a noteworthy series of paintings whose subjects are drawn from the life of St Ramon He painted much in fresco in which medium his best effort is believed to have been on the vault of San Bonaventura but this with all his other frescoes has disappeared None of his architectural productions are mentioned and there remain but a few of his etchings all of which were reproductions of his paintings One of his pictures St Basil dictating his doctrine is in the Louvre and another St Matthew is in the Dresden Gallery Herrera left two sons el Rubio the ruddy who died before he fulfilled the great promise of his youth and el Mozo the younger He was also the godfather of the Spanish born Portuguese painter Josefa de obidos Works editHerrera s finest paintings include The Last Judgment and a Holy Family both in churches at Seville Others are in the Louvre Paris They exhibit boldness of execution with faultless technique He is known as El viejo the elder to distinguish him from his son Francisco Herrera the Younger also a noted painter Among his pupils was Ignacio de Iriarte and a young Diego Velazquez Among his other works are San Diego Saint James 1637 Madrid private collection Bebedor 1626 Worcester Art Museum Job 1636 215 x 151 cm Musee des Beaux Arts de Rouen La Parentela de Jesus Museum of Fine Arts in Bilbao San Basilio dictando su doctrina 1639 243 x 194 cm Louvre Milagro del Pan y de los Peces 1647 Archbishop s Palace Madrid Ciego tocando la zampona 1650 Kunsthistorische Museum ViennaReferences edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Wood James ed 1907 Herrera Francisco The Nuttall Encyclopaedia London and New York Frederick Warne nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Herbermann Charles ed 1913 Francisco Herrera Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Francisco de Herrera el Viejo Biographie of Francisco Herrera the Elder at the Web Gallery of Art Francisco Herrera the Elder on Artcyclopedia Scholarly articles in English about Francisco de Herrera the Elder both in web and PDF the Spanish Old Masters Gallery Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francisco Herrera the Elder amp oldid 1171751782, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
