Cristóbal Vela (c. 1588-1658) was a Spanish Baroque

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

and gilder. Born in

Jaén, Spain Jaén () is the urban capital city of the province of Jaén, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. The city of Jaén is the administrative and industrial centre for the province. Industrial establishments in the city include chemical ...

, it is agreed that Vela studied the first principles of painting in Córdoba, Andalusia, under

Pablo de Céspedes Pablo de Céspedes (1538 – July 26, 1608) was a Spanish painter, poet, and architect. Biography His father, Alonso Céspedes, was descended of a noble Castilian family, once settled at Ocaña, and the name of his mother, who was a native ...

. He then moved to

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), an ...

, where he completed his art studies under

Vincenzo Carducci Vincenzio Carduccio (in Spanish, sometimes ''Vicencio'' or Vicente Carducho; 1576 or 1578–1638) was an Italian painter who spent his career in Spain. Biography He was born in Florence, and was trained as a painter by his brother Ba ...

. Some sources also claim that Vela studied in

Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsul ...

beginning in 1610, and that his work is influenced by the Sevilian school. At the end of his education, Vela worked with two art dealers in Seville, Carlos Atabante and Juan de Quintanilla. For Atabante, Vela painted 330 canvases of different themes and sizes, and for de Quintanilla, he painted 300 religious pieces, some of which had profane themes. He followed the

Mannerist Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Ita ...

style, and was influenced by both Naturalism and Spanish architecture. In 1618, Vela took over work on the golden

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting ...

of San Anton in the church of San Juan. In 1619, he was hired to create an altarpiece for a client in Campillo de Arenas. In 1627, Vela was working in

Priego Priego is a municipality located in the Cuenca Province, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. According to the census 2004 (INE), the municipality has a population of 1,052 inhabitants. Notable people * Luis Ocaña Jesús Luis Ocaña Pernía (; 9 J ...

. His work on the altarpieces of ''Saint Peter'' and ''Our Lady of the Rosary'' in the parish church are among his oldest surviving works in Córdoba''.'' In Priego, he married Catherine Garrido and had a son,

Antonio Vela Cobo Antonio Vela Cobo (1629-1675) was a Spanish Baroque painter, sculptor and gilder. Cobo was the son of the painter and gilder Cristóbal Vela Cristóbal Vela (c. 1588-1658) was a Spanish Baroque painter and gilder. Born in Jaén, Spain, ...

(1629-1675), who became a painter, sculptor, and gilder. By 1635, Vela had relocated to Córdoba, where he worked as a painter and gilder of altarpieces and sculptures. In 1645, he was commissioned to complete altarpiece paintings of the

Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba ( es, Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba), officially known by its ecclesiastical name, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption ( es, Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción), is the cathedral of the Roman ...

after winning a competition alongside

Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra (10 July 1616 – 2 February 1668) was a Spanish Baroque painter, sculptor, and poet. Biography Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra was born at Córdoba, Spain. He trained in painting under his father Agustín d ...

. Although he was likely selected due to his seniority and status in Córdoba society, this is considered to be one of Vela's achievements. Vela's most acclaimed work was painted at the church of San Agustín de Córdoba, with most of his archangels now located at the Fine Arts Museum of Córdoba and the church of Santa Marina. Other famous works of his include the upper choir of San Agustín de Córdoba, which follows the

iconographic Iconology is a method of interpretation in cultural history and the history of the visual arts used by Aby Warburg, Erwin Panofsky and their followers that uncovers the cultural, social, and historical background of themes and subjects in the visu ...

style of

Francisco Pacheco Francisco Pacheco del Río (bap. 3 November 1564 – 27 November 1644) was a Spanish painter, best known as the teacher and father-in-law of Diego Velázquez and Alonzo Cano, and for his textbook on painting, entitled ''Art of Painting'', t ...

and his prophet series for the convent of St. Augustine. Cristóbal Vela died in 1658 when he fell into a well at his house and drowned. After his death, his son Antonio took over his workshop. Many of Vela's works are now considered lost, while several others suffered irreversible damage due to unskilled restoration.

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