Alonso Sánchez Coello ( 1531 – 8 August 1588) was an Iberian
portrait
A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face is always predominant. In arts, a portrait may be represented as half body and even full body. If the subject in full body better r ...
painter of the
Spanish and
Portuguese Renaissance
The Portuguese Renaissance was the cultural and artistic movement in Portugal during the 15th and 16th centuries. Though the movement coincided with the Spanish Renaissance, Spanish and Italian Renaissance, Italian Renaissances, the Portuguese Ren ...
. He is mainly known for his portrait paintings executed in a style which combines the objectivity of the Flemish tradition with the sensuality of Venetian painting. He was court painter to
Philip II.
[Alfonso E. Pérez Sánchez. "Sánchez Coello, Alonso." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 30 Dec. 2016]
Life
Alonso Sánchez Coello was born in
Benifairó de les Valls, near
Valencia
Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
in Spain. He spent his childhood there until the death of his father when he was around ten years old.
[Antonio, T. de, ''Sánchez Coello, Alonso'']
in: ''Del Greco a Goya. Obras maestras del Museo del Prado'', Museo de Arte de Ponce, 2012, p. 92 He left for Portugal c. 1541 or 1542 to live with his grandfather, who was then in the service of the Portuguese monarchs and had been raised to the Portuguese nobility. Coello's years in Portugal and his family name of Portuguese origin led to a long-standing belief that he was in fact Portuguese. His grandfather's master King
John III of Portugal
John III ( ; 6 June 1502 – 11 June 1557), nicknamed The Pious ( Portuguese: ''o Piedoso''), was the King of Portugal and the Algarve from 1521 until he died in 1557. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of ...
sent the young painter to study with
Anthonis Mor (also known as Antonio Moro) in
Flanders
Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
around 1550. He came under the protection of
Antoine de Granville,
bishop of Arras, who was also a patron of Mor.
[
In 1552, the painter went to ]Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
with Anthonis Mor when Charles V Charles V may refer to:
Kings and Emperors
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
Others
* Charles V, Duke ...
commissioned Mor to paint the Portuguese royal family. For a few years, Sánchez Coello remained in Portugal working for the court of the heir to the throne, João Manuel, Prince of Portugal. After the prince's death, he moved to the Spanish court of Philip II, having been recommended by the widow of John, Juana, who was the sister of the Spanish king. In 1555, he was in Valladolid
Valladolid ( ; ) is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and ''de facto'' capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the pr ...
working for the Spanish court.[
Sánchez Coello became Court Painter in 1560. He married Louisa Reyaltes, a daughter of a silversmith, in either 1560 or 1561 in Valladolid. The couple had seven children. Coello's daughter, Isabel Sánchez (1564–1612), became a painter. She studied and helped in her father's workshop. The painter moved with the court to Toledo and finally settled in Madrid in 1561. Coello worked on religious themes for most of the palaces, particularly for ]El Escorial
El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (), or (), is a historical residence of the king of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, up the valley ( road distance) from the town of El Escorial, Madrid, El ...
, and larger churches. Philip II held him in high esteem and was godfather to two of his daughters. The painter spent the remainder of his life at the court, becoming a personal favourite of the king and acquiring honours and wealth.
Among his disciples were Juan Pantoja de la Cruz and Felipe de Liaño. Lope de Vega
Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio (; 25 November 156227 August 1635) was a Spanish playwright, poet, and novelist who was a key figure in the Spanish Golden Age (1492–1659) of Spanish Baroque literature, Baroque literature. In the literature of ...
praised Coello in his work ''Laurel to Apolo''. Alonso Sánchez Coello died in Madrid on 8 August 1588.
Works
While Coello produced both portraits and religious paintings, it is for his portraits that he is chiefly remembered. They are marked by an ease of pose and execution, a dignity and sobriety of representation, and warmth of colouring. Although influenced by the paintings of both Mor and Titian, these portraits display an original talent and reflect admirably the modesty and formality of the Spanish court. Paintings of Philip II (c. 1580) and Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia (1571), both in the Prado, Madrid, are two of his finest works. Sánchez Coello also produced a touching series of paintings of the children of Philip II. The extreme delicacy of the children's portrait softens the rigid etiquette and fashion of the court. The double portrait of the Infantas Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catalina Micaela (1568–9; Madrid, Convent of Las Descalzas Reales) is an example.[
Coello was a follower of ]Titian
Tiziano Vecellio (; 27 August 1576), Latinized as Titianus, hence known in English as Titian ( ), was an Italian Renaissance painter, the most important artist of Renaissance Venetian painting. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near Belluno.
Ti ...
, and, like him, excelled in portraits and single figures, elaborating the textures of his armours, draperies, and such accessories in a manner that had a notable influence on Velázquez's style regarding those objects. From Mor, Coello learned precision in representation, and from Titian he incorporated Venetian gold tones, generous workmanship, and the use of light on a canvas. While his debt to Mor is evident, Coello brought distinctive qualities to the court portrait, notably a sharp sense of colour, a crispness of execution and a heightened realism. Coello's reputation as a portraitist has been diluted by the innumerable copies and imitations that wrongly bear his name. In the absence of a biographical study of Coello, many of his works are still confused with those of Sofonisba Anguissola
Sofonisba Anguissola ( – 16 November 1625), also known as Sophonisba Angussola or Sophonisba Anguisciola, was an Italian Renaissance painter born in Cremona to a relatively poor noble family. She received a well-rounded education that ...
, who painted royal portraits in the same period, and Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, Coello's pupil.
The religious works, many of which were created for El Escorial
El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (), or (), is a historical residence of the king of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, up the valley ( road distance) from the town of El Escorial, Madrid, El ...
, are considered good but undistinguished examples of the more conventional austere style. Among his religious paintings is the St. Sebastian in the church of San Geronimo, also in Madrid. Also attributed to the artist is a topographical view of the busy port of Sevilla ( Museum of the Americas, Madrid).''Vista de Sevilla – Cuadro, Alonso Sánchez Coello''
in the Museum of the Americas (Madrid)
Gallery
File:Infanta Juana of Spain1.jpg, Joanna of Portugal, 1557. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
File:Alonso Sánchez Coello 010.jpg, Albert VII, Archduke of Austria
Albert VII (; 13 November 1559 – 13 July 1621) was the ruling Archduke of Austria for a few months in 1619 and, jointly with his wife, Isabella Clara Eugenia, sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands between 1598 and 1621. Prior to this, he had ...
, c. 1573. Ambras Castle
Ambras Castle () is a Renaissance architecture, Renaissance castle and palace located in the hills above Innsbruck, Austria. Ambras Castle is above sea level. Considered one of the most popular tourist attractions of the Tyrol (state), Tyrol, Amb ...
File:Alonso Sánchez Coello 003.jpg, Anna of Austria, 1571. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
File:San Sebastián entre San Bernardo y San Francisco (Museo del Prado).jpg, St Sebastian between St Bernard and St Francis, 1582. Museo del Prado, Madrid
File:Archdukerudolf.jpg, Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor
Rudolf II (18 July 1552 – 20 January 1612) was Holy Roman Emperor (1576–1612), King of Hungary and Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg), Croatia (as Rudolf I, 1572–1608), King of Bohemia (1575–1608/1611) and Archduke of Austria (1576–16 ...
as a young Archduke, 1567, Royal Collection
The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world.
Spread among 13 occupied and historic List of British royal residences, royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King ...
File:Alonso Sánchez Coello - Philip II - WGA20722.jpg, Philip II of Spain
Philip II (21 May 152713 September 1598), sometimes known in Spain as Philip the Prudent (), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and List of Sicilian monarchs, Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He ...
, 1570s
File:Alonso Sánchez Coello 001b.jpg, Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia of Spain, 1579
File:Alonso Sanchez Coello Portrait of Duchess Feria 1563.png, Portrait of the Duchess of Feria (nee Jane Dormer, 1538-1612) from Burton Constable Hall collection. Burton Constable Hall, Burton Constable, East Riding of Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
, England, 1563
File:Alonso Sánchez Coello 006.jpg, Philip II of Spain
Philip II (21 May 152713 September 1598), sometimes known in Spain as Philip the Prudent (), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from 1580, and King of Naples and List of Sicilian monarchs, Sicily from 1554 until his death in 1598. He ...
, 1566
File:Alonso Sánchez Coello 005 detail.jpg, Carlos, Prince of Asturias, 1564
File:Catalina Micaela of Spain by Alonso Sánchez Coello.jpg, Catalina Micaela of Spain, 1584
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanchez Coello, Alonso
1530s births
1588 deaths
People from Camp de Morvedre
Expatriates in Portugal
Painters from the Valencian Community
16th-century Spanish painters
Spanish male painters