Alonso Cano (1601 - 1667) - photo 1

Alonso Cano

Alonso Cano was a multifaceted Spanish artist, renowned for his remarkable contributions in painting, sculpture, and architecture. Born in Granada in 1601, Cano is often celebrated as the "Spanish Michelangelo", a testament to his diverse artistic talents and significant impact on the Baroque era. His career, marked by a blend of Italian Mannerism and Baroque style, was a journey through various Spanish cities, each phase contributing uniquely to his artistic evolution.

In Seville, Cano trained under Francisco Pacheco, where his initial works like "San Francisco de Borja" (Seville Museum of Fine Arts) displayed a blend of Tenebrism and a brighter, more lyrical color palette. This period also saw the birth of works like "La Visión de San Juan" (Wallace Collection, London), signaling a transition in his style. Madrid, however, marked a significant turn in Cano's career. His works for the Buen Retiro Palace and the Alcázar showcase an evolution towards elegant, dynamic Baroque forms with lighter tonalities, influenced by the 16th-century Venetian masters.

Cano's return to Granada in 1652 was a homecoming that not only reinvigorated the Granada School but also marked his most prolific period. His masterpieces during this time include the series of paintings on the life of the Virgin in Granada Cathedral, a remarkable testament to Baroque art. Notably, his "Inmaculada Concepción" (1648) and "Nacimiento de la Virgen" (1663-1664) in the Cathedral stand as crowning achievements of his painterly career.

Equally impressive is Cano's sculptural work, where his polychrome wooden statue of the Immaculate Conception (1655) in Granada Cathedral is often hailed as his magnum opus. Despite sculpture being a secondary focus to his painting, his works, such as the Inmaculada in San Julián Church, Sevilla, and the smaller, yet exquisitely crafted, Inmaculada of the facistol in Granada Cathedral, resonate with the delicate beauty pointing towards Rococo art.

Cano's architectural prowess is exemplified in the design of Granada Cathedral's façade, an original piece of Spanish Baroque architecture. His artistic journey was not just a personal endeavor but a pivotal influence in the transition of Spanish painting towards a more idealist trend alongside Velázquez.

For art collectors and experts, Alonso Cano's works remain a cornerstone of the Baroque era, showcasing a blend of dramatic realism and spiritual depth. His influence extends beyond the boundaries of Granada, leaving an indelible mark on the world of art and culture.

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Date and place of birt:19 march 1601, Granada, Spain
Date and place of death:3 september 1667, Granada, Spain
Nationality:Spain
Period of activity: XVII century
Specialization:Architect, Designer, Draftsman, Engraver, Painter, Sculptor
Art school / group:Granada School
Art style:Baroque, Mannerism

Creators Spain

José Belizón Tocino (1930 - 1997)
José Belizón Tocino
1930 - 1997
Waldo Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez (1931)
Waldo Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez
1931
José Villegas Cordero (1844 - 1921)
José Villegas Cordero
1844 - 1921
Ulpiano Cheka (1860 - 1916)
Ulpiano Cheka
1860 - 1916
Jose Leonardo (1601 - 1656)
Jose Leonardo
1601 - 1656
José de Madrazo y Agudo (1781 - 1859)
José de Madrazo y Agudo
1781 - 1859
Alberto Corazón (1942 - 2021)
Alberto Corazón
1942 - 2021
Olga Nikolayevna Sacharoff (1889 - 1967)
Olga Nikolayevna Sacharoff
1889 - 1967
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano (1896 - 1971)
Manuel Rodríguez Lozano
1896 - 1971
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617 - 1682)
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
1617 - 1682
Jose Denis Belgrano (1844 - 1917)
Jose Denis Belgrano
1844 - 1917
Carlos de Aes (1829 - 1898)
Carlos de Aes
1829 - 1898
Luis Melendez (1716 - 1780)
Luis Melendez
1716 - 1780
Carles Santos (1940 - 2017)
Carles Santos
1940 - 2017
Jacinto Jeronimo de Espinosa (1600 - 1667)
Jacinto Jeronimo de Espinosa
1600 - 1667
Juan Antonio Ribera Fernandez (1779 - 1860)
Juan Antonio Ribera Fernandez
1779 - 1860

Creators Baroque

Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo (1538 - 1592)
Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo
1538 - 1592
Maria Felice Tibaldi (1707 - 1770)
Maria Felice Tibaldi
1707 - 1770
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547 - 1616)
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
1547 - 1616
Kyara Varotari (1584 - 1663)
Kyara Varotari
1584 - 1663
Marmaduke Cradock (1660 - 1716)
Marmaduke Cradock
1660 - 1716
Cornelis Kruys (1619 - 1660)
Cornelis Kruys
1619 - 1660
Meinrad Guggenbichler (1649 - 1723)
Meinrad Guggenbichler
1649 - 1723
Charles-Edouard Calame (1815 - 1852)
Charles-Edouard Calame
1815 - 1852
Izaak van Oosten (1613 - 1661)
Izaak van Oosten
1613 - 1661
Juan de Arellano (1614 - 1676)
Juan de Arellano
1614 - 1676
Johann Sigmund Hitzelberger (1745 - 1829)
Johann Sigmund Hitzelberger
1745 - 1829
Giovanni Battista Paggi (1554 - 1627)
Giovanni Battista Paggi
1554 - 1627
Charles Poerson (1609 - 1667)
Charles Poerson
1609 - 1667
Andrea Camassei (1602 - 1649)
Andrea Camassei
1602 - 1649
Hans Baldung (1484 - 1545)
Hans Baldung
1484 - 1545
Jan Collaert II (1561 - 1620)
Jan Collaert II
1561 - 1620
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