Cristobal de Vera facts for kids

Cristóbal de Vera (1577–1621) was a Spanish painter. He was born in Córdoba, a city in Spain. He likely began his art studies there with a painter named Pablo de Céspedes.

In 1602, Cristóbal de Vera moved to Castile. He joined the Hieronymites, a group of monks, at their monastery in Lupiana, near Granada. He became a lay brother, which means he was a monk who helped with the monastery's daily tasks and spiritual life, but wasn't a priest.

Life as a Painter Monk

Cristóbal de Vera was known for his dedication to both his art and his religious life. He spent many years living and painting in monasteries.

Paintings at Lupiana

While at the monastery in Lupiana, Cristóbal de Vera painted eight Stations of the Cross. These are a series of images that show different moments from the last day of Jesus's life. He painted them for the monastery's cloister, which is a covered walkway, usually with arches, found in monasteries and cathedrals.

Work at La Sisla

Later, Cristóbal de Vera visited his nephew, Juan de Vera, who was also a painter. Juan was starting his training to become a monk at the La Sisla monastery near Toledo. Juan decided not to join the monks, but Cristóbal stayed on.

While at La Sisla, Cristóbal de Vera painted two important altarpieces for the church. An altarpiece is a work of art, often a painting or sculpture, placed above or behind an altar in a church. One painting was of St. Jerome, and the other was of St. Mary Magdalene.

Cristóbal de Vera died soon after finishing these paintings. He was buried in the cemetery at the La Sisla monastery.

His Dedication

The monks at Lupiana remembered Cristóbal de Vera as a very religious and hardworking monk. They said he preferred to study and paint at night. Because of this, he was rarely seen during the day! This shows how dedicated he was to his art and his faith.