Mateo Gilarte facts for kids
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Mateo Gilarte (born around 1629 in Orihuela, died 1675 in Murcia) was a Spanish painter. He was known for his art during the Baroque period, a time when art was very dramatic and full of movement.
Mateo Gilarte's Life and Art
Mateo Gilarte's father, Francisco, made gunpowder. When Mateo was very young, his family moved to Murcia. Mateo learned to paint in Valencia. He likely trained with a well-known artist named Jerónimo Jacinto de Espinosa. His early paintings also show the style of another artist, Pedro de Orrente.
By 1651, Mateo Gilarte was living in Murcia again. There, he worked with his brother Francisco, who was also a painter for the cathedral. Together, they created many paintings about the life of the Virgin Mary.
In 1658, Mateo received a special title from the king. He was called "Master of the Royal Gunpowder Factories." It's not clear if he actually worked with gunpowder like his father. This title might have been given to him as an honor, not because he changed jobs.
Between 1663 and 1667, Mateo worked with his brother again. They painted several oil paintings and frescoes (wall paintings) in a chapel in Orihuela. This chapel belonged to the Brotherhood of the Rosary at the Convent of Santo Domingo.
A writer named Antonio Palomino said that Mateo was praised for his painting of the Battle of Lepanto. Palomino also wrote that Mateo became friends with a famous military captain, Juan de Toledo, while working on this painting. However, newer studies suggest that Juan de Toledo actually spent his later years in Madrid.
Mateo Gilarte stated in his will that he was poor. He was buried in the chapel of the Brotherhood of the Rosary, as he had become a member of this group. Palomino also mentioned that Mateo had a daughter named Magdalena who became an artist. But it seems Magdalena was actually his brother Francisco's daughter.
See Also
In Spanish: Mateo Gilarte for kids
