Alonso Cano

Biography

He learned architecture from his father, Miguel Cano; painting in the academy of Juan del Castillo, and from Francisco Pacheco the teacher of Velázquez; and sculpture from Juan Martínez Montañés. As a sculptor, his most famous works are the Madonna and Child in the church of Lebrija (also called Nebrija), and the colossal figures of San Pedro and San Pablo.

He was made first royal architect, painter to Philip IV, and instructor to the prince, Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias. The King gave him the church preferment of a canon of the Granada Cathedral (1652), in order to take up a position as chief architect of the cathedral. Towards the end of his life, he designed the cathedral façade, which was erected to his design after his death.

He was notorious for his ungovernable temper; and it is said that once he risked his life by committing the then capital offence of dashing to pieces the statue of a saint, when in a rage with the purchaser who begrudged the price he demanded. According to another story, he found his house robbed after coming home one evening, his wife murdered, and his Italian servant fled. Notwithstanding the presumption against the fugitive, the magistrates condemned Cano, because he was of a jealous temper. Upon this he fled to Valencia, but afterwards returned to Madrid, where he was put to the torture, which he endured without incriminating himself, and the king received him into favour.

After the death of his wife he took Holy Orders as a protection from further prosecution, but still continued his professional pursuits. He died in 1667. In his last moments, when the priest held to him a crucifix, he told him to take it away because it was badly carved. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the dying Cano refused the Sacrament from a priest who gave it to conversos.

Works

• San Vicente Ferrer (praying)
• Virgin of the Olive Tree (1629)
• Inmaculada del Facistol (1655–1656) in the sacristy of the Cathedral of Granada.
• Virgen of Bethlehem
• Bust of Saint Paul
• Head of San Juan de Dios
• Annunciation
• Christ Bound to the Column in the church of the Convento del Stmo. Cristo de la Victoria de Serradilla (Cáceres).
• Entrance of the Cathedral of Granada
• Saint John the Baptist as a Youth 1634, in the National Sculpture Museum (Valladolid).
• St. Anthony Preaching to the Fishes (ca. 1630) [The Detroit Institute of Arts]
• Christ and the Samaritan Woman(ca. 1650-1652) Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando Madrid.
• The Death of Saint Francis. Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Madrid.
• The Christ Crucified (c.1646) Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. Works by Cano in the Prado Museum in Madrid include:
• The Crucifixion
• Saint Anthony of Padua
• The Crucified Christ appears to Saint Teresa
• A king of Spain
• Two kings of Spain
• The Miracle of the Well
• Saint Bernard and the Virgin
• The Virgin and Child
• The Dead Christ supported by an Angel

Gallery

File:20090211 NP Inmaculada.jpg|Immaculate Conception, c. 1618–20, attributed to Velázquez or Cano File:Cano - San Juan.jpg|Saint John and the Poisoned Chalice, c. 1635–37 File:Alonso Cano - Cristo y la Samaritana - Google Art Project.jpg|Cristo y la Samaritana, Christ and the Samaritan woman, 1640 File:Alonso Cano - Cristo recogiendo las vestiduras - Google Art Project.jpg|Christ Gathering his Robes, 1646 File:Alonso Cano - Cristo crucificado - Google Art Project.jpg| Cristo crucificado, Christ on the cross, 1646 File:Alonso Cano - Christ and Two Followers on the Road to Emmaus - Walters 372770.jpg|Christ and Two Followers on the Road to Emmaus, between 1635 and 1650 File:Alonso Cano 003.jpg|Ideal portrait of a Spanish King, 1643 File:Alonso Cano - St. Vincent Ferrer Preaching - Google Art Project.jpg|St. Vincent Ferrer Preaching, c. 1644–45 (Castres) Alonso Cano - L'Annonciation - Musée Goya.jpg| The Annunciation, c.1655 Goya Museum. (Castres) Alonso Cano - Le Mariage de la Vierge - Musée Goya.jpg|The Marriage of the Virgin, c.1655 Goya Museum. File:San Bernardo y la Virgen, de Alonso Cano.jpg|Saint Bernard, c. 1656–60 File:Visión de San Antonio de Padua.jpg|Antony of Padua, 1660–62 File:Inmaculadaalonsocano.jpg|Immaculate Conception File:Valladolid museo escultura San Juan Bautista Alonso Cano ni.JPG|Saint John the Baptist

References

References

1. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03250d.htm Alonso Cano] – [[Catholic Encyclopedia]] article
2. {{EB1911
3. (13 March 2018). "Historical Dictionary of Baroque Art and Architecture". Rowman & Littlefield.
4. Anonymous, "[http://es.wikisource.org/wiki/Alonso_Cano_%28Retrato%29 Alonso Cano]" in ''[http://es.wikisource.org/wiki/Retratos_de_Espa%C3%B1oles_ilustres Retratos de Españoles ilustres con un epítome de sus vidas]'', 1791.
5. Marvin, Frederic Rowland. (1900). "The Last Words (Real and Traditional) of Distinguished Men and Women". C. A. Brewster & Co..
6. "Christ and the Samaritan Woman".
7. "Death of Saint Francis".
8. "Christ Crucified".
9. "Works by Alonso Cano".