Vicente López Portaña facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vicente López Portaña
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Painted by his son Bernardo López Piquer
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| Born | September 19, 1772 |
| Died | July 22, 1850 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Known for | Painting |
Vicente López Portaña (born September 19, 1772 – died July 22, 1850) was a famous Spanish painter. He is known as one of the best portrait painters of his time.
Contents
Early Life and Art School
Vicente López Portaña was born in Valencia, Spain, on September 19, 1772. His parents were Cristóbal López Sanchordi and Manuela Portaña Meer.
He started studying painting when he was just thirteen years old. He learned from a Franciscan friar named Antonio de Villanueva. Vicente also attended the Academy of San Carlos in his hometown.
When he was seventeen, Vicente won a top prize in drawing and coloring. This award gave him a scholarship to study in Madrid at the important Academia Real de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. For three years, he learned from another Valencian painter, Mariano Salvador Maella.
In 1794, Vicente López returned to Valencia. He soon became the vice-director of painting at the same Academy where he had studied. In 1795, he married Maria Piquer. They had two sons, Bernardo and Luis, who also became painters. In 1801, López became the President of the Academy of San Carlos.
Becoming a Royal Painter
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In 1802, King Charles IV visited Valencia. The king was so impressed with Vicente López's work that he made him an honorary court painter. This meant López would paint for the royal family.
Later, in 1814, King Ferdinand VII called López to his court. He officially appointed López as the royal court painter. Soon after, López took over from the famous artist Goya as the main Royal Court Painter. King Ferdinand VII also asked López to teach drawing to his second wife, Maria Isabella of Portugal, and later to his third wife, Maria Josepha Amalia of Saxony. In 1817, López became the President of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.
Vicente López painted many different types of scenes, including religious, historical, and mythological pictures. However, he was especially good at painting portraits. During his long career, he painted almost every important person in Spain in the early 1800s.
Painting Goya's Portrait
In 1826, López painted a portrait of Francisco Goya. Goya was visiting the court from Bordeaux, France, where he was living. Goya was 80 years old at the time and would pass away two years later.
Some people said that Goya found it boring to pose for López. López was known for being very careful and detailed in his work. Because of this, some thought the portrait was not as good as other works by López. However, this painting is still one of López's most famous and lively works. This is partly because of Goya's strong personality, which shines through in the portrait.
Vicente López spent the rest of his life in Madrid. He continued to paint portraits of important people like leaders and scholars. He also painted dramatic religious scenes. He passed away in Madrid when he was 78 years old. At the time of his death, he was the court painter for Queen Isabella II.
Artistic Style and Influences
Vicente López was a painter who followed the Neo-classical style. This style focused on clear lines and perfect drawing. However, he also kept some elements of the Rococo style, which was known for its soft colors and playful designs.
López is considered one of the best Spanish painters of his time, second only to Francisco Goya. His style was greatly influenced by the artist Anton Raphael Mengs and the rules of academic art. He was not much affected by the Romantic art movement, which became popular later in his career.
López was very skilled at drawing and using his paintbrushes. While he was a great artist, he did not reach the same level of genius as Goya. His drawings and smaller paintings are often thought to be his best works.
See also
In Spanish: Vicente López Portaña para niños
