Salvador Martínez Cubells facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Salvador Martínez Cubells
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| Born | 9 November 1845 Valencia, Spain
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| Died | 21 January 1914 Madrid, Spain
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| Nationality | Spanish |
| Education | Francisco Martínez Yago (father) |
| Known for | Painter, art restorer |
| Movement | Orientalist |
Salvador Martínez Cubells (born November 9, 1845 – died January 21, 1914) was a talented Spanish artist. He was known as a painter and an art restorer. This means he fixed and preserved old artworks. He was especially good at painting historical scenes and everyday life (`Costumbrismo`).
Contents
Early Life and Art Career
Salvador Martínez Cubells was born in Valencia, Spain. He learned about art from his father, Francisco Martínez Yago, who was also a painter.
One of his first important paintings was "Baile de labradores" (Peasants' Dance). He showed this painting at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 1864. Three years later, a rich person called the Count of Pinohermoso bought one of his historical paintings. The Count bought another painting a year later.
Salvador kept showing his art at National Exhibitions until 1889. He displayed a total of seventy paintings during this time. He became well-known for painting portraits of important people in Madrid.
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A Master Art Restorer
Besides painting, Salvador Martínez Cubells became a very important art restorer. He was one of the best experts in this field during his time.
In 1869, he became the main restorer at the famous Museo del Prado in Madrid. He worked there for twenty-six years. He also started a school to teach others how to restore art. He led this school until he passed away.
Some of his most famous restoration projects included works by the artist El Greco. He also restored a painting called San Antonio de Padua by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.
The "Black Paintings" Project
One of Salvador Martínez Cubells' most challenging jobs was restoring the Black Paintings by Francisco de Goya. Goya had painted these artworks directly onto the walls of his home, called the "Quinta del Sordo".
Salvador had to carefully move these paintings from the walls onto canvases. He used photos taken by a French photographer named Jean Laurent to help him. Many of the paintings were damaged, cracked, and covered in plaster. Salvador worked hard to restore them to look as close to their original state as possible.
The owner of Goya's house, Baron Émile d’Erlanger, wanted to sell these paintings. But the work was very slow. By the end of 1875, only four out of fourteen paintings were moved. Because of this, the Baron decided to give the paintings to the Spanish government instead.
Other Contributions and Awards
Salvador Martínez Cubells also helped another artist, Carlos Luis de Ribera, decorate the San Francisco el Grande Basilica.
He received several important awards for his work. These included the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic and the Order of Carlos III. He was also a member of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. He taught at the "Escuela de Artes y Oficios" in Madrid.
Salvador Martínez Cubells passed away in Madrid when he was 63 years old. His son, Enrique, also became a painter, following in his father's footsteps.
See also
In Spanish: Salvador Martínez Cubells para niños
