Felipe Gil de Mena facts for kids

Felipe Gil de Mena (born 1603 in Antigüedad, Palencia, Spain – died 1673) was a Spanish painter during the Baroque period. He was known for his religious artworks.

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  Saint Francisco and Saint Domingo in the refectory by Felipe Gil de Mena (second half of the 17th century)

Biography

Felipe Gil de Mena was born in a town called Antigüedad, in the Palencia region of Spain.

Early Life and Training

Around 1619, when he was about 16 years old, Gil de Mena moved to Valladolid. There, he became an apprentice to Diego Valentín Díaz. Díaz was a very important artist in Valladolid at that time. Being an apprentice meant Gil de Mena learned painting skills directly from a master artist.

Some people say that Gil de Mena also visited the royal court in Madrid. There, he might have met another artist named Juan van der Hamen. Even if they didn't meet, Gil de Mena's paintings show a clear influence from Van der Hamen's work. This is likely because his teacher, Diego Valentín Díaz, owned several paintings by Van der Hamen. Gil de Mena would have seen these artworks and learned from them. His style also seems similar to another artist from Valladolid, Antonio de Pereda, though we don't have proof they worked together.

Important Works

In 1640, Gil de Mena received a very important job. He was asked to decorate the cloister of the San Francisco monastery in Valladolid. For this project, he painted 32 artworks that showed scenes from the life of Saint Francis.

Because of this big project, Gil de Mena became a very popular artist in the area. He mostly painted for religious groups like monasteries and churches. He also created large altarpieces for many churches in towns and villages nearby.

See also

• Read more about Felipe Gil de Mena for kids in Spanish: Felipe Gil de Mena para niños