Alonso Sánchez Coello Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Alonso Sánchez Coello
Possible self-portrait, around 1570. Museo del Prado, Madrid
Born	c. 1532 Benifairó de les Valls, Spain
Died	8 August 1588 (aged 55–56) Madrid, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Known for	Painting
Movement	Spanish Renaissance

Alonso Sánchez Coello (born around 1531 – died 8 August 1588) was a famous portrait painter. He worked during the Spanish Renaissance and Portuguese Renaissance periods. He is best known for his portraits. His style mixed the realistic details of Flemish art with the rich colors of Venetian painting. He was a special painter for King Philip II.

Life of a Royal Painter
What He Painted
Gallery
See also

Life of a Royal Painter

Alonso Sánchez Coello was born in Benifairó de les Valls, a town near Valencia in Spain. He lived there until he was about ten years old. After his father died, he moved to Portugal around 1541 or 1542. He lived with his grandfather, who worked for the Portuguese royal family.

Early Training

Because he spent time in Portugal and had a Portuguese-sounding family name, many people thought he was Portuguese. But he was Spanish. The King of Portugal, John III of Portugal, sent young Alonso to study art. He learned from a famous painter named Antonis Mor in Flanders (now part of Belgium) around 1550. Alonso also received help from Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, who was a bishop and also supported Anthonis Mor.

Working for Kings

In 1552, Alonso went to Lisbon with Anthonis Mor. This was because Emperor Charles V asked Mor to paint the Portuguese royal family. Alonso Sánchez Coello stayed in Portugal for a few years. He worked for the court of João Manuel, Prince of Portugal, who was next in line for the throne.

After the prince passed away, Alonso moved to the Spanish court. This happened because Princess Juana, the prince's widow and sister of King Philip II of Spain, recommended him. By 1555, Sánchez Coello was working for the Spanish court in Valladolid.

Court Painter and Family

Alonso Sánchez Coello became the official Court Painter in 1560. He married Louisa Reyaltes, whose father was a silversmith, in 1560 or 1561. They had seven children together. His daughter, Isabel Sánchez (1564–1612), also became a painter. She helped her father in his art studio.

Alonso moved with the royal court to Toledo. Finally, he settled in Madrid in 1561. He painted religious scenes for many palaces and churches, especially for El Escorial. King Philip II thought very highly of him. The king even became the godfather to two of Alonso's daughters. Alonso spent the rest of his life at the court. He became a personal favorite of the king and gained much respect and wealth.

Students and Legacy

Some of his students included Juan Pantoja de la Cruz and Felipe de Liaño. A famous writer named Lope de Vega praised Coello in his book Laurel to Apolo. Alonso Sánchez Coello died in Madrid on August 8, 1588.

Portrait of King Philip II of Spain, around 1568. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

What He Painted

Alonso Sánchez Coello painted both portraits and religious pictures. But he is mostly remembered for his amazing portraits. His portraits show people in relaxed poses. They have a sense of dignity and calm. He used warm colors in his paintings.

Influences and Style

He was influenced by the paintings of both Anthonis Mor and Titian. Yet, his portraits show his own special talent. They perfectly capture the formal and modest style of the Spanish court. Two of his best works are paintings of King Philip II (around 1580) and Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia (1571). Both are in the Museo del Prado in Madrid.

Sánchez Coello also painted a lovely series of portraits of King Philip II's children. He painted the children with great care. This softened the strict rules and fashion of the court. A good example is the double portrait of the Infantas Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catalina Micaela (1568–9). This painting is in the Convent of Las Descalzas Reales in Madrid.

Coello followed the style of Titian. Like Titian, he was excellent at painting portraits and single figures. He paid great attention to details like armor and clothing. This detailed style later influenced Diego Velázquez, another famous painter. From Anthonis Mor, Coello learned to be very precise. From Titian, he learned to use golden colors, rich brushstrokes, and light in his paintings.

His Unique Touch

While he learned a lot from Mor, Coello added his own special qualities to court portraits. He used colors very well. His paintings were sharp and very realistic. Many copies and fake paintings have been wrongly called his work. This has made it harder to see how truly great he was. Because there isn't a full study of his life, some of his works are still confused. They are sometimes mixed up with paintings by Sofonisba Anguissola and Juan Pantoja de la Cruz. Both of them also painted royal portraits around the same time. Juan Pantoja de la Cruz was even Coello's student.

Religious Art

His religious paintings, many made for El Escorial, are also good. They show a more traditional and serious style. One of his religious paintings is St. Sebastian. It is in the Church of Saint Jerome the Royal in Madrid. People also believe he painted a detailed view of the busy port of Sevilla. This painting is in the Museum of the Americas in Madrid.