Martín Zapater facts for kids

Martín Zapater, painted by his friend Francisco Goya in 1790.

Martín Zapater y Clavería (born November 12, 1747, in Zaragoza; died 1803, Zaragoza) was a rich merchant from Aragon, Spain. He had modern ideas for his time, which was called the Age of Enlightenment. Martín Zapater is mostly famous for being a very close friend of the well-known artist, Francisco Goya. The many letters they wrote to each other are super important. They help us learn a lot about Goya's life.

Life of Martín Zapater

Martín Zapater never got married. He lived most of his life in a house on Calle del Coso in Zaragoza. This house was right across from the Palacio de Sástago [es], a famous palace.

How he became wealthy

Martín Zapater was part of a group called the bourgeoisie. These were people who became rich through business, not by being born into noble families. He made a lot of money by selling land and renting it out. He rented land to the city of Zaragoza, to other important groups, and even to noble families.

His role in the city

In 1778, Martín Zapater was chosen as a Diputado del Común for Zaragoza. This was like being a public representative for the city. The next year, King Charles IV made him a member of the Aragonese nobility. This meant he became part of the noble class himself.

Supporting new ideas

Martín Zapater was a big supporter of new ideas from the Enlightenment. This was a time when people focused on reason and science. He helped start many important groups in Aragon.

Helping new organizations

In 1776, he helped create the Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País. This group worked to improve the economy and education in the region. He was their Treasurer from 1790 to 1800. He also helped start the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Luis [es], which was an art academy. He became an honorary member in 1793 and an advisor from 1797 to 1802.

Creating public spaces

Martín Zapater played a key role in setting up the Jardín Botánico de Zaragoza [es], which is a botanical garden. He also helped build the Teatro Principal [es], a main theater in Zaragoza. He even gave money to students so they could study architecture and engraving in Madrid.

Friendship with Goya

Martín Zapater's friendship with the famous artist Francisco Goya began when they were young. They studied together, though some historians are not completely sure about this. What we do know is that they were very close friends by 1773. This was the year Goya got married.

Goya's letters

Martín Zapater kept many letters that Goya wrote to him. These letters are very important today. They give us a lot of information about Goya's life and thoughts. After Martín Zapater passed away, his grand-nephew, Francisco Zapater y Gómez, got these letters. He published some of them and even wrote a short book about Goya's life.

See also

In Spanish: Martín Zapater para niños