Francisco Bayeu
y Subias
Pages:
1-2
(9 March 1734- 4 August 1795) was a Spanish painter,
active in a Neoclassic style, whose main subjects were religious and
historical themes.
Born in Zaragoza,
he received a broad childhood education. His initial art studies
were with a local master, José Luzán[1] and Antonio González
Velázquez. He then moved to Madrid, winning a scholarship with the
painting of the ‘’Tyranny of Gerion’’ to study in the Academia Real
de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. The death of his parents and the
care of his brothers forced him to return to Zaragoza, until he was
recalled by Anton Raphael Mengs to help decorate the Royal Palace of
Madrid.
In later years, one
of his colleagues was Francisco Goya, who married his sister, Josefa
Bayeu. He served as court painter to King Charles III of Spain. He
was named a professor of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San
Fernando in 1765 and director in 1788. He painted in the
Charterhouse of Aula Dei in Zaragoza. In 1767 he was named court
painter for Charles III, king of Spain. He was involved in the
decoration of various Royal palaces near Madrid. He helped provide
designs for tapestries. He also painted for the College of San
Ildefonso, the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation (Madrid), the
Basilica of our Lady del Pilar in Zaragoza, and the cloister of the
Cathedral of Toledo.
