While he pursued a career as a painter during the Spanish Baroque period, his most enduring contribution lies in the biographical documentation of his predecessors and contemporaries.
Early Education and Artistic Training
Born in 1655 at Bujalance, Palomino initially pursued academic studies in philosophy, theology, and law in Córdoba. His shift toward the visual arts began with technical instruction from Juan de Valdés Leal in 1672. He continued his training in 1675 under Juan de Alfaro y Gamez, a connection that proved pivotal when he relocated to Madrid in 1678.
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Following his move to the capital, Palomino integrated into the professional artistic circles of the period, associating with figures such as Claudio Coello and Juan Carreño de Miranda. His social status rose as he married a woman of rank and assumed the role of alcalde of the mesta, ultimately receiving a patent of nobility. In 1688, King Charles II appointed him as a court painter, a position that solidified his professional standing.
Painting and Architectural Commissions
During these years, he decorated the ceilings of the Church of Santos Juanes and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken. Later, he completed a ceiling fresco for the sacristy dome of the Cartuja de Granada. Between 1705 and 1715, his work took him across Salamanca, Granada, and Córdoba.
The Spanish Vasari
The third volume of his major treatise, subtitled El Parnaso español pintoresco laureado, provided a detailed record of Spanish artists. This text became the primary source for understanding the national artistic trajectory, earning Palomino the moniker of the Spanish Vasari. Following his wife's death in 1725, he entered the priesthood, remaining a member of the Catholic Church until his death in Madrid on 13 August 1726.
Fast facts
- Born: 1655, Bujalance
- Died: 13 August 1726, Madrid
- Movement: Baroque
- Notable work: El Museo pictórico y escala óptica
- Appointed court painter to King Charles II: 1688
- Religion: Catholic Church
- Nationality: Spain
Questions readers ask
Why is Palomino called the Spanish Vasari?
The label stems from the third volume of his work, El Museo pictórico y escala óptica, which serves as a definitive biographical dictionary of Spanish painters, sculptors, and architects.
What subjects did Palomino study before painting?
He studied philosophy, theology, and law in Córdoba.
Achievements
- Notable work: El museo pictórico y escala óptica
- Movement: Baroque
