Juan Carreño de Miranda (1614–1685)

A historical, portrait, and fresco painter of the Baroque period, Carreño was born at Aviles in Asturias. His father, who was of a noble family, perceiving that he showed the force of natural genius in an extraordinary degree, placed him in the school of Pedro de las Cuevas at Madrid. Under this master, Carreño made rapid progress, and improved still more with Bartolome Roman, who made him a fine colourist. He improved himself in design and colouring by studying the works of Velazquez and Van Dyck. At twenty-years of age he painted the picture for the Cloister of Maria de Aragon; also those for the Convent del Rosario; and he was now considered as one of the most eminent artists of the time. Velasquez gave him employment in the king's palace, and his first work was a fresco representing the fable of Vulcan, and another of Pandora and Epimetheus, which he was prevented, by illness, from finishing. He was court painter to Philip V and Charles II. His colouring was in tenderness and suavity, perhaps superior to that of any painter of his country except Murillo. He also executed several etchings. He died at Madrid.

Art