Francisco de Zurbarán  

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:''[[Spanish art]]'' :''[[Spanish art]]''
-The term ''Bodega'' in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] can mean "pantry" or "tavern" or ''wine vault''. '''Bodegón''' is a derivative term use in art, while describing a large bodega, may be thought as describing it in a derogatory fashion. 
-In [[Spanish art]], it refers to [[still life]] paintings, depicting pantry items, such as victuals, game, and drink. Others have defined it as ''kitchen'' or ''shop pictures''. Starting in the [[Baroque]] period, such paintings became popular in [[Spain]]. The tradition of still life painting appears to have started and was far more popular in the contemporary Northern Low Countries, today [[Belgium]] and [[Netherlands]] (then Flemish and Dutch artists), than it ever was in uniformly Catholic Italy. In Spain, however, the thematic became popular.+'''Francisco de Zurbarán''' (November 7, 1598 – August 27, 1664) was a [[Spain|Spanish]] [[Painting|painter]]. He is known primarily for his religious paintings depicting monks, nuns, and martyrs, and for his [[still-life]]s. Zurbarán gained the nickname ''Spanish [[Caravaggio]]'', owing to the forceful, realistic use of [[chiaroscuro]] in which he excelled.
-Still life painting in Spain, however, was austere; it differed from the Dutch still parallels, which often contain both rich banquets surrounded by ornate and luxurious items of fabric or glass. The game is often plain dead animals still waiting to be skinned. The fruits and vegetables are uncooked. The backgrounds are bleak or plain wood geometric blocks, often creating a surrealist air. Even while both Dutch and Spanish still lifes often had an embedded moral purpose, the austerity, which some find akin to a [[hair shirt]] fashion or the bleakness of some of the Spanish plateaus, appears to reject the sensual pleasures, plenitude, and luxury of Dutch still life paintings. +==Early life==
 +He was born at [[Fuente de Cantos]] in [[Extremadura]], the son of Luis Zurbarán, a haberdasher, and his wife, Isabel Márquez. In childhood he set about imitating objects with [[charcoal]]. In 1614 his father sent him to [[Seville]] to apprentice for three years with Pedro Díaz de Villanueva, an artist of whom very little is known.<ref>Gállego and Gudiol 1987, p. 13.</ref>
-==Bodegón painters==+==Style==
-*[[Luis Paret y Alcázar]]+[[Image:Francisco de Zurbarán 018.jpg|thumb|200px|left|''The Birth of the Virgin'', c. 1625–1630, [[Pasadena]], [[Norton Simon Museum]]]]
-*[[Francisco Zurbarán]]+It is unknown whether Zurbarán had the opportunity to copy the paintings of [[Michelangelo da Caravaggio]]; at any rate, he adopted Caravaggio's realistic use of chiaroscuro. The painter who may have had the greatest influence on his characteristically severe compositions was [[Juan Sánchez Cotán]].<ref name="Gállego and Gudiol 1987, p. 15">Gállego and Gudiol 1987, p. 15.</ref> Polychrome sculpture—which by the time of Zurbarán's apprenticeship had reached a level of sophistication in Seville that surpassed that of the local painters—provided another important stylistic model for the young artist; the work of [[Juan Martínez Montañés]] is especially close to Zurbarán's in spirit.<ref name="Gállego and Gudiol 1987, p. 15"/>
-*[[Diego Velázquez]]+
-*[[Luis Egidio Meléndez]]+
-*[[Juan Sánchez Cotán]]+
-*[[Juan Bautista de Espinosa]]+
-==Note==+He painted directly from nature, and he made great use of the lay-figure in the study of draperies, in which he was particularly proficient. He had a special gift for white draperies; as a consequence, the houses of the white-robed [[Carthusians]] are abundant in his paintings. To these rigid methods, Zurbarán is said to have adhered throughout his career, which was prosperous, wholly confined to Spain, and varied by few incidents beyond those of his daily labour. His subjects were mostly severe and ascetic religious vigils, the spirit chastising the flesh into subjection, the compositions often reduced to a single figure. The style is more reserved and chastened than Caravaggio's, the tone of color often quite bluish. Exceptional effects are attained by the precisely finished foregrounds, massed out largely in light and shade.
-Velazquez paintings of the ''[[The Waterseller of Seville (Velázquez)|The Waterseller of Seville]]'' , ''[[:Image:Diego Velázquez 017.jpg|Old woman frying eggs]]'', and ''[[The Lunch (Velázquez)|The lunch]]'' are often described as a Bodegón due to its depiction of jars and foodstuff; however, technically they are a mixed "genre" of [[genre painting]], ''[[Bamboccianti|bambochades]]'' and still life.+
 +==Later life==
 +While in Seville, Zurbarán married Leonor de Jordera, by whom he had several children. Towards 1630 he was appointed painter to [[Philip IV of Spain|Philip IV]]; and there is a story that on one occasion the sovereign laid his hand on the artist's shoulder, saying "Painter to the king, king of painters." After 1640 his austere, harsh, hard edged style was unfavorably compared to the sentimental religiosity of [[Bartolomé Esteban Murillo|Murillo]] and Zurbarán's reputation declined. It was only in 1658, late in Zurbarán's life that he moved to [[Madrid]] in search of work and renewed his contact with [[Diego Velázquez|Velázquez]]. Zurbarán died in poverty and obscurity.
 +
 +==Artistic legacy==
 +[[Image:Francisco de Zurbarán 054.jpg|thumb|250px|''Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth'', c. 1631–1640, [[Cleveland Museum of Art]]]]In 1627 he painted the great [[altarpiece]] of [[St. Thomas Aquinas]], now in the [[Seville museum]]; it was executed for the church of the college of that saint there. This is Zurbarán's largest composition, containing figures of [[Christ]], the [[Mary, the mother of Jesus|Madonna]], various [[saints]], [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] with [[knight]]s, and [[Archbishop Deza]] (founder of the college) with monks and servitors, all the principal personages being more than life-size. It had been preceded by numerous pictures of the screen of [[St. Peter Nolasco]] in the cathedral.
 +
 +In [[Santa Maria de Guadalupe]] he painted various large pictures, eight of which relate to the history of [[St. Jerome]]; and in the church of [[Paul of Tarsus|Saint Paul]], Seville, a famous figure of the Crucified Saviour, in [[grisaille]], creating an illusion of [[marble]]. In 1633 he finished the paintings of the high altar of the Carthusians in [[Jerez]]. In the palace of [[Buenretiro]], Madrid are four large canvases representing the [[The Twelve Labours|Labours]] of [[Heracles|Hercules]], an unusual instance of non-Christian subjects from the hand of Zurbarán. A fine example of his work is in the [[National Gallery, London]]: a whole-length, life-sized figure of a kneeling Franciscan holding a skull. His principal scholars were [[Bernabe de Ayala]] and the brothers [[Polanco (painters)]].
 +
 +== Auckland Castle ==
 +In 1756 [[Richard Trevor (bishop)|Richard Trevor]] who was [[Bishop of Durham|Prince Bishop of Durham]] from 1752 to 1771 bought a series of 12 of the 13 portraits of Jacob and his 12 sons. These are still in [[Auckland Castle]], [[Bishop Auckland]], near [[Durham]], England, Great Britain.
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Francisco de Zurbarán (November 7, 1598 – August 27, 1664) was a Spanish painter. He is known primarily for his religious paintings depicting monks, nuns, and martyrs, and for his still-lifes. Zurbarán gained the nickname Spanish Caravaggio, owing to the forceful, realistic use of chiaroscuro in which he excelled.

Contents

Early life

He was born at Fuente de Cantos in Extremadura, the son of Luis Zurbarán, a haberdasher, and his wife, Isabel Márquez. In childhood he set about imitating objects with charcoal. In 1614 his father sent him to Seville to apprentice for three years with Pedro Díaz de Villanueva, an artist of whom very little is known.<ref>Gállego and Gudiol 1987, p. 13.</ref>

Style

Image:Francisco de Zurbarán 018.jpg
The Birth of the Virgin, c. 1625–1630, Pasadena, Norton Simon Museum

It is unknown whether Zurbarán had the opportunity to copy the paintings of Michelangelo da Caravaggio; at any rate, he adopted Caravaggio's realistic use of chiaroscuro. The painter who may have had the greatest influence on his characteristically severe compositions was Juan Sánchez Cotán.<ref name="Gállego and Gudiol 1987, p. 15">Gállego and Gudiol 1987, p. 15.</ref> Polychrome sculpture—which by the time of Zurbarán's apprenticeship had reached a level of sophistication in Seville that surpassed that of the local painters—provided another important stylistic model for the young artist; the work of Juan Martínez Montañés is especially close to Zurbarán's in spirit.<ref name="Gállego and Gudiol 1987, p. 15"/>

He painted directly from nature, and he made great use of the lay-figure in the study of draperies, in which he was particularly proficient. He had a special gift for white draperies; as a consequence, the houses of the white-robed Carthusians are abundant in his paintings. To these rigid methods, Zurbarán is said to have adhered throughout his career, which was prosperous, wholly confined to Spain, and varied by few incidents beyond those of his daily labour. His subjects were mostly severe and ascetic religious vigils, the spirit chastising the flesh into subjection, the compositions often reduced to a single figure. The style is more reserved and chastened than Caravaggio's, the tone of color often quite bluish. Exceptional effects are attained by the precisely finished foregrounds, massed out largely in light and shade.

Later life

While in Seville, Zurbarán married Leonor de Jordera, by whom he had several children. Towards 1630 he was appointed painter to Philip IV; and there is a story that on one occasion the sovereign laid his hand on the artist's shoulder, saying "Painter to the king, king of painters." After 1640 his austere, harsh, hard edged style was unfavorably compared to the sentimental religiosity of Murillo and Zurbarán's reputation declined. It was only in 1658, late in Zurbarán's life that he moved to Madrid in search of work and renewed his contact with Velázquez. Zurbarán died in poverty and obscurity.

Artistic legacy

Image:Francisco de Zurbarán 054.jpg
Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth, c. 1631–1640, Cleveland Museum of Art
In 1627 he painted the great altarpiece of St. Thomas Aquinas, now in the Seville museum; it was executed for the church of the college of that saint there. This is Zurbarán's largest composition, containing figures of Christ, the Madonna, various saints, Charles V with knights, and Archbishop Deza (founder of the college) with monks and servitors, all the principal personages being more than life-size. It had been preceded by numerous pictures of the screen of St. Peter Nolasco in the cathedral.

In Santa Maria de Guadalupe he painted various large pictures, eight of which relate to the history of St. Jerome; and in the church of Saint Paul, Seville, a famous figure of the Crucified Saviour, in grisaille, creating an illusion of marble. In 1633 he finished the paintings of the high altar of the Carthusians in Jerez. In the palace of Buenretiro, Madrid are four large canvases representing the Labours of Hercules, an unusual instance of non-Christian subjects from the hand of Zurbarán. A fine example of his work is in the National Gallery, London: a whole-length, life-sized figure of a kneeling Franciscan holding a skull. His principal scholars were Bernabe de Ayala and the brothers Polanco (painters).

Auckland Castle

In 1756 Richard Trevor who was Prince Bishop of Durham from 1752 to 1771 bought a series of 12 of the 13 portraits of Jacob and his 12 sons. These are still in Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland, near Durham, England, Great Britain.



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