José Gallegos y Arnosa facts for kids
José Gallegos y Arnosa (born May 3, 1857, in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain – died September 20, 1917, in Anzio, Italy) was a talented Spanish painter and sculptor. He was especially known for his beautiful paintings of churches and scenes involving religious figures.
Contents
A Young Artist's Journey
José Gallegos y Arnosa loved drawing and painting from a young age. His father worked for a winery, and with his friend Salvador Sánchez Barbudo, José often visited the studio of a local artist named Luis Sevil. This helped him learn a lot about art.
In 1873, when he was 16, José moved to Madrid to study art further. This was possible thanks to the support of Guillermo Garvey, his father's employer. In Madrid, José joined the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, a famous art school. He first studied architecture, but soon realized his true passion was painting. He then became a student of the well-known painter Federico de Madrazo.
Traveling and Painting
Later, José became very interested in Orientalist art, which means paintings inspired by the cultures and landscapes of North Africa and the Middle East. He traveled through North Africa to see these places for himself. In 1878, the Spanish government bought his painting called "Arab Wedding." José used some of this money to continue his art studies in Italy.
By 1880, José decided to live in Rome, Italy. However, he still traveled a lot, visiting cities like Munich, London, Paris, and Berlin. He also made trips back home to Spain. His paintings were very popular and sold well. He even had agents, the Van Baerle brothers from the Netherlands, and a gallery in London called Arthur Tooth & Sons, who helped sell his artwork.
Family Life
In 1887, José married Giuseppina Trelanzi from Milan. They had four children together, including an architect named Jorge Gallegos Trelanzi. Sadly, Giuseppina passed away in 1897.
Three years later, in 1900, José married Constance Harding. She was the daughter of an English clergyman whom he had met in Italy. José and Constance had five children.
Achievements and Legacy
José Gallegos y Arnosa won a gold medal at the International Exposition of Fine Arts in Berlin in 1891. His paintings can be found in museums in Germany, Russia, and across North America. Even the famous American publisher William Randolph Hearst owned one of his works. José didn't show many of his paintings in Italy, perhaps to avoid competition with other Spanish artists living there.
Every summer, José enjoyed staying at a rented villa in Nettuno, a town near Anzio. He loved painting outdoors, a style called en plein aire, and also enjoyed hunting. One day, while hunting wild boar, he fell from a tree and hurt his spine. While recovering from this injury, he sadly passed away from a stroke. This happened while he was watching a religious parade called a Corpus Christi procession. Tragically, his oldest son, Lucas, had died less than twelve hours before him. José and Lucas were buried together in Nettuno.
After José's death, his wife Constance and their children faced financial difficulties. She had to sell his paintings at low prices because he was not yet as famous as he would become. Constance later ran a tea room near the British Embassy in Rome. The Queen of Italy, who was a friend of José's, often visited her tea room. Some of José's children later moved to the United States. One of his daughters married a wealthy businessman and became one of the richest women in Canada.
Selected Paintings
-
Arabs Meditating
-
In the Church
-
Playing Chess
-
The Bride's Dowry
See also
In Spanish: José Gallegos y Arnosa para niños
