Juan Lovera facts for kids
Juan Lovera (born July 11, 1776, in Caracas; died January 29, 1841, in Caracas) was a famous Venezuelan painter. He is best known for his amazing portraits and paintings that show important moments from Venezuela's fight for independence.
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Early Life and Art Training
Juan Lovera's father worked at the Caracas Cathedral, making and selling candles. Juan started learning art at a Dominican convent called San Jacinto. Later, he became a student of Antonio José Landaeta, who was a well-known Baroque painter in Caracas during the 1700s.
By 1799, Juan Lovera had his own art studio. Some of the first important people he painted were the famous explorers Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland.
Supporting Independence
Juan Lovera strongly supported Venezuela's independence from Spain. Because of this, he faced difficulties when the First Venezuelan Republic fell apart in 1812.
Two years later, in 1814, when the army of José Tomás Boves attacked Caracas, Lovera had to escape to Cumaná. Some stories say he stayed there and taught art, while others say he traveled around the West Indies. After Venezuela became part of Gran Colombia, he returned to Caracas.
Public Service and Famous Portraits
In 1821, Carlos Soublette offered Juan Lovera a job as a Corregidor, which was like a local administrator. He didn't really want the job but accepted it. A year later, he was promoted to Alcalde ordinario, which meant he became a mayor.
From 1821 to 1823, he also worked on decorating the meeting room of the Cabildo, which was the city council building.
After 1824, many important people came to him for portraits. These included leaders like José Antonio Páez, Cristóbal Mendoza, Simón Bolívar, and José María Vargas. He also worked with General Francisco de Paula Avendaño, who started Venezuela's first workshop for making lithographs (a type of printing) in 1828.
Teaching and Legacy
In his final years, Juan Lovera spent almost all his time teaching art. One of his most famous students was Pedro Lovera. For a long time, people thought Pedro was Juan's son, but he might have been his nephew. Juan Lovera also taught as a professor at a drawing academy.
After Juan Lovera passed away in 1841, an art society was created in Caracas. This society was partly inspired by his memory and his contributions to art.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Lovera para niños
