Felipe de Castro facts for kids
Felipe de Castro (born around 1711 in Noya, died August 25, 1775, in Madrid) was a famous Spanish sculptor. He came from Galicia. He was one of the first artists to bring the Neoclassical style to Spain. He also worked as the official sculptor for King Ferdinand VI. Some records say he might have been born in 1704.
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Felipe de Castro's Early Life and Training
According to a historian named Juan Agustín Ceán Bermúdez, Felipe de Castro was born in 1711. He started learning about art in his hometown of Noya. Later, he moved to Santiago de Compostela to continue his studies with local teachers.
In 1724, he traveled to Portugal. From there, he went to Seville in Spain. In Seville, he worked in the studio of Pedro Duque y Cornejo. He helped create beautiful altarpieces for the Church of El Salvador.
Studying Art in Rome
In 1734, Felipe de Castro decided to go to Rome, Italy. He paid for this trip himself. In Rome, he worked with other talented sculptors like Giuseppe Rusconi and Filippo della Valle. He also met Antonio Rafael Mengs, a well-known painter.
In 1739, he won a top prize for sculpture from the Accademia di San Luca. This was a very important art academy. He became a member there and also joined the Pontifical Academy of Arcadia.
Working for the King of Spain
When Ferdinand VI became King of Spain in 1747, Felipe de Castro returned home. The King chose him to be his personal sculptor. Two years later, in 1749, Felipe de Castro and Juan Domingo Olivieri were given a big job. They were in charge of all the sculptures for the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Sculpting Kings for the Royal Palace
This huge project involved making statues of Spain's ninety-four previous kings. More than a dozen other sculptors worked under their guidance. These included artists like Luis Salvador Carmona and Alejandro Carnicero. Many of these statues are now in different parks and gardens around Spain.
Creating Royal Portraits
Felipe de Castro's main personal task for the King was making portraits. He created famous portraits of King Ferdinand VI and his wife, Bárbara de Braganza. He also made two marble busts of the King and Queen. These busts are now on their tombs at the Convento de las Salesas Reales.
He also made a portrait bust of fray Martín Sarmiento. This work shows how he helped change the style of busts from the old Baroque look to the newer Neoclassical style. Another great example is his bust of Alfonso Clemente de Aróstegui.
Felipe de Castro as a Teacher
Besides sculpting, Felipe de Castro was also a respected teacher. During his time with the King, he helped create the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. This was a new royal academy for fine arts. When it opened in 1752, he became the Director of Sculpture there.
To help his students, he translated several books about sculpting from Italian. His classes were very popular. In 1763, he became the General Director of the academy. One of his most famous students was Jerónimo Antonio Gil, who became a skilled engraver and typographer.
Images for kids
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Felipe de Castro; portrait by Gregorio Ferro
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King Ferdinand VI, at the Royal Palace
