Sebastián Muñoz (painter) facts for kids

Self-portrait (date unknown)

Queen Marie Louise, Lying in State

Sebastián Muñoz was a Spanish painter who lived during the Baroque period. He was born around 1654 in Casarrubios del Monte and passed away on March 20, 1690, in Madrid. He was known for his beautiful paintings and frescoes.

About Sebastián Muñoz

Early Life and Training

In 1670, Sebastián Muñoz started learning to paint as an apprentice. He worked in the art studio of Hipólito de Torres. By January 1680, he was in Madrid. There, he helped another famous artist, Claudio Coello, decorate for a special event. This event celebrated the arrival of Marie Louise d'Orléans. She was the new wife of King Charles II.

Muñoz used the money he earned to travel to Italy. Later that year, he joined other Spanish painters living in Italy. They asked the King to create a special art school for Spanish painters in Rome. While in Italy, Muñoz likely studied with a well-known artist named Carlo Maratta.

Working for the King

When Muñoz returned to Spain, he stopped in Zaragoza. He again helped Claudio Coello paint large pictures on walls, called frescoes. These were for a church called the Iglesia de la Mantería.

Back in Madrid in 1686, he worked at the Royal Alcázar. This was a royal palace. He painted the ceiling of the Queen's room with a scene from a story called Orlando Furioso. Only a practice drawing for this painting still exists today. In another part of the palace, he painted a scene from the old Greek story of Psyche and Cupid. This painting was so good that it earned him a special job. He became a court painter, meaning he worked for the King and Queen. Sadly, this painting has since been lost.

In 1689, he painted a picture of the Queen's funeral. This painting was for the Convento del Carmen Calzado, a monastery. People say the monks there did not recognize the Queen in his painting. So, Muñoz had to add her portrait inside a small round frame, held up by angels.

Final Projects and Legacy

Muñoz also worked at the Buen Retiro Palace. He decorated the private rooms for the new Queen, Maria Anna of Neuburg. At the same time, he began fixing old frescoes in the dome, or cupola, of the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Atocha.

While he was working on the church project, a terrible accident happened. He slipped and fell from the scaffolding, which is a temporary structure used for building or repairs. He died from the fall. A very large painting called "Martyrdom of Saint Andrew" was left unfinished in his hometown church. Another artist, Francisco Ignacio Ruiz de la Iglesia, finished it later. He tried very hard to make sure his work looked like Muñoz's original style.

See also

In Spanish: Sebastián Muñoz para niños