Juan de las Roelas facts for kids
Juan de Roelas (born around 1570 in Flanders, died 1625 in Olivares) was a talented painter from Flanders. He spent his entire career in Spain. He was very important in helping Spanish painting change from the older Mannerist style to the more dramatic Baroque style.
Life of Juan de Roelas
Not much is known for sure about Juan de Roelas's life. For a long time, people thought he was born in Seville, Spain. But in the year 2000, a Spanish expert found new documents. These showed that earlier writers had mixed up the painter with a different person who had the same name and was a priest from Seville.
It is now believed that Juan de Roelas was actually from Flanders, which is a region in modern-day Belgium. Documents from 1594 show a Flemish painter named Juan de Flandes (which means "John from Flanders") in Valladolid, Spain, along with his father. This supports the idea that he was Flemish. Also, he later painted the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew for the Chapel of the Flemish in Seville. Saint Andrew was the special saint of Flanders at that time.
Knowing he was Flemish helps explain his painting style. Before, people thought he might have traveled to Venice, Italy, and learned from artists there. But his Flemish background makes more sense for his unique style.
We know that in 1598, he worked in Valladolid. He helped design a monument for the death of King Philip II of Spain. He stayed in Valladolid until 1604.
Later, he moved to Olivares, a town near Seville. There, he painted several large artworks to decorate altars in churches around Seville. It is said that he tried to become a painter for the royal court in Madrid, but he didn't get the job. He then returned to Olivares, where he died in 1625.
Juan de Roelas had many students. Some of his well-known students included Francisco Varela from Seville and Pablo Legote from Luxembourg.
Juan de Roelas's Artworks
Juan de Roelas is seen as a very important artist in Seville's painting history. He worked before famous artists like Zurbarán, Cano, and Murillo became well-known.
Murillo and Leal, two later famous painters, were especially influenced by de Roelas. He helped bring a new style called Baroque naturalism to Seville. This style focused on making paintings look more real and less artificial. It became a key part of Seville Baroque painting.
De Roelas's paintings often used rich, warm colors and bold brushstrokes. They were also often very large. People used to think his style came from Italian artists like Titian. However, experts now believe his work fits better with Flemish painting traditions.
He learned to paint in the late Mannerism style. He was good at using light and shadow, similar to the artist Jacopo Bassano. He also liked to show everyday life in his paintings. He would often add ordinary people and scenes to his religious artworks. Some artists at the time, like Francisco Pacheco, criticized this. But by showing interest in real life, de Roelas helped painting move from the artificial Mannerism to the more realistic Spanish Baroque style.
He also made popular a special way of painting altarpieces. These artworks were divided into two parts. The top part showed the divine world (like heaven), and the bottom part showed the earthly world. This two-part style was also used by El Greco and became very popular in the Andalusia region of Spain.
Many of Roelas's paintings can be found in Seville. Some of his most famous works include:
- Martyrdom of St. Andrew
- El Transito de San Isidoro (Death of St. Isidore), which is an altarpiece in the Church of San Isidore.
- Santiago at the Battle of Clavijo, found in the Chapel of Santiago in Seville Cathedral. This painting shows Saint James riding a horse and winning against the Moors.
Writers and art experts have praised Roelas's work for its strength and grandeur. He is often compared to great masters like Tintoretto. He was excellent at designing and composing his paintings, and his art showed a grand style common to the best painters.
Images for kids
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Allegory of the Immaculate Conception, National Sculpture Museum in Valladolid
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The calling of St Peter and St Andrew, Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
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See also
In Spanish: Juan de Roelas para niños
