Ignacio Merino facts for kids
Ignacio Merino Muñoz (born January 30, 1817, in Piura, Peru – died March 17, 1876, in Paris, France) was a famous Peruvian painter. He spent most of his life living and working in Paris. Ignacio Merino was known for his paintings about history and everyday life in Peru, called costumbrista art.
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A Young Artist's Journey
Ignacio Merino's father was a judge, and his mother came from an important family. When Ignacio was just ten years old, he was sent to Paris to study. There, he finished his schooling and discovered his passion for art.
Learning from Masters
In Paris, Ignacio Merino learned from well-known painters like Raymond Monvoisin and Paul Delaroche. These teachers helped him become very interested in history painting. History painting means creating large artworks that show important moments from history, often with many people. Because of Delaroche, Ignacio often painted scenes from European history.
When he painted about Peru, his art usually showed costumbrista themes. This means he painted scenes of daily life, customs, and traditions of the people. One famous example is "The Jarana," which shows a lively Peruvian party.
Teaching in Peru
Later, Ignacio Merino returned to Peru. He became a leader at the "Academy of Drawing and Painting." This school was important for teaching art in Peru. He taught and inspired many other talented Peruvian painters, including Luis Montero and Francisco Laso. During the 1840s, he painted many portraits of Peruvian saints, like Rose of Lima and Martín de Porres.
Return to Paris and Famous Works
In 1850, Ignacio Merino went back to Paris to study with another great artist, Eugène Delacroix. He stayed in Paris for the rest of his life. It's even said that his paintings of Peruvian life inspired the famous writer Jules Verne to write his adventure story Martin Paz, which takes place in Lima.
Ignacio Merino also worked on a special project for a book called Lima por dentro y fuera (Lima Inside and Out). He created 92 detailed wood engravings for this book. These pictures showed landscapes, portraits, and everyday scenes, and many of them helped him plan his later paintings.
While in Paris, he created his most famous painting, Colón ante los doctores en Salamanca (Columbus Before the Doctors in Salamanca). This painting shows Christopher Columbus discussing his ideas with wise scholars. The Peruvian government bought this painting after it won an award at an art show in Paris. Ignacio Merino also found inspiration in books, creating art based on stories by writers like William Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott, and Miguel de Cervantes.
Legacy
Ignacio Merino passed away in 1876 from a lung illness called tuberculosis. He never married and had no children. So, he decided to give all his belongings, including 33 of his paintings, to the city of Lima. In 1925, these paintings became the first artworks for a new art museum called the "Pinacoteca Municipal Ignacio Merino." This museum is still managed by the city of Lima today, keeping his artistic legacy alive.
See also
In Spanish: Ignacio Merino para niños
