Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Alonso Sánchez Coello died in 1588; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1658.
In context
James VI — Alonso Sánchez Coello
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 57 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of Alonso Sánchez Coello (1531–1588) every dated painting, decade by decade
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
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Measured from the image
Main colour
Driftwood #b59b6a
Catalogued palette
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The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 21 works by this artist, of which 10 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 9 of them, with 5.3% of that attention. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Benifaió, Spain
Born: Benifaió, Spain (1531)
Spent childhood near Valencia until his father's death.
Around 1541/42, moved to Portugal to live with his grandfather, a nobleman in service of the Portuguese monarchs.
Studied with Anthonis Mor (Antonio Moro) in Flanders around 1550.
Received patronage from Antoine de Granville, Bishop of Arras, also a patron of Mor.
Worked for the Portuguese royal family and later the court of João Manuel, Prince of Portugal.
Moved to the Spanish court of Philip II in 1555, recommended by Juana, sister of Philip II.
Became Court Painter in 1560.
Married Louisa Reyaltes, daughter of a silversmith, around 1560/61.
His daughter, Isabel Sánchez, also became a painter and assisted in his workshop.
Moved with the court to Toledo and settled in Madrid in 1561.
Style: Combined Flemish objectivity with Venetian sensuality.
Influences: Primarily influenced by Anthonis Mor and Titian.
Learned precision from Mor.
Incorporated Venetian gold tones, generous workmanship, and the use of light from Titian.
Known for portraits marked by ease of pose, dignity, sobriety, and warmth of coloring.
Produced both portraits and religious paintings.
Religious works were conventional but demonstrate an austere style.
Notable Portraits:
Philip II Holding a Rosary (1573)
Portraits of Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia (1571)
Series of paintings depicting the children of Philip II.
Double portrait of the infantas Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catalina Micaela (1568–9).
Painted religious works for El Escorial.
Produced a topographical view of Seville's port.
His reputation as a portraitist has been complicated by numerous copies and imitations.
Considered a significant figure in Spanish Renaissance art, particularly for his court portraits.
His work influenced later artists, including Velázquez, regarding the depiction of textures like armor and draperies.
Died in Madrid on August 8, 1588.
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Look closely
James VI — Alonso Sánchez Coello
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