Roque López facts for kids
Roque López Duarte (born August 12, 1747 – died October 14, 1811) was a talented Spanish sculptor. He created many beautiful religious statues that are still admired today.
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Who Was Roque López Duarte?
Roque López Duarte was born in a small village called Era Alta, near the city of Murcia in Spain. He was the second son in his family. When he was just 17 years old, Roque moved to Murcia to learn how to be a sculptor.
Early Life and Training
Roque became an apprentice to a very famous sculptor named Francisco Salzillo. Salzillo was a master of the Baroque style, which uses lots of detail and emotion in art. Roque quickly became Salzillo's best student.
After only five months, Salzillo was so impressed with Roque's work that he named him as the heir to his own sculpting tools in his will! Roque learned from Salzillo for many years, from 1764 to 1783. During this time, he learned all about Baroque sculptures and stories from the Bible, which often inspired his art. By 1772, he was considered a "master" sculptor himself.
His Unique Artistic Style
Roque López Duarte took what he learned from Salzillo and added his own special touch. He made his sculptures even more realistic. This gave his artworks a lot of feeling and expression. One of his special techniques was called the "round lump" method. He is known as one of the last great Rococo sculptors before a new style called Neoclassicism became popular.
Roque kept a notebook called Libro de la Verdad (Book of Truth). In this book, he wrote down all the sculptures he made. It shows that he created 466 sculptures during his career! Most of these were religious statues. People from many cities and towns in southeastern Spain asked him to create art for them. His sculptures decorated churches, convents, and even private homes.
Famous Works of Art
Roque López Duarte created many famous sculptures. Some of his most well-known pieces include:
- The Capture of Christ (in Tobarra)
- Our Father Jesus Nazarene (found in Murcia, Lorca, Alatoz, and Alhama de Murcia)
- Christ Risen (in Lorca)
- Our Lady of the Incarnation (in La Raya)
- Our Lady of Los Remedios (in Torreagüera)
- Our Lady of Sorrows (in Murcia, Águilas, and Beniaján)
- Saint Joseph with the Child (in Murcia, Totana, and Lorca)
He also made statues of many other saints, like Saint Michael, Saint John Evangelist, Saint Cecilia, and Saint Paul Hermit.
A Lasting Legacy
Roque López Duarte had two children, José and María. His wife, Lucía Hernández Martínez, passed away in 1807. Roque himself died in Mula in 1811 from yellow fever. Sadly, his only son, José López, also died from the same illness.
Even after his death, Roque López Duarte's art continued to be important. In 2011, exactly 200 years after he passed away, a special art show was held in his honor. The Museo Salzillo in Murcia organized this big exhibition. It was called Roque López. La mirada del discípulo, which means "Roque López. The Disciple's Gaze." This show celebrated his amazing work and his connection to his teacher, Salzillo.
See also
In Spanish: Roque López para niños
