Claudio Coello (1642-1693)
| Artist Name | Claudio Coello (1642-1693) |
|---|---|
| Title | Portrait of a Spanish Noble Lady |
| Description | This stunning, large portrait oil painting is attributed to Spanish Old Master Claudio Coello who is considered the last great Spanish painter of the 17th century. It has formerly been the property of Lady Beatrice in Sidmouth and is labelled verso. Painted circa 1680, the portrait is three quarter length and is of a young noble woman in a very sumptuous, ornate red dress with bows, beads, jewels, lace and heavy embroidery on it as well as red and white feathers coming from her hair. One hand is by her chest and the other reaches out to, maybe, a purse on a table, very similar to her earrings. Next to that is a bound red book and beneath that one can clearly see sheet music. Perhaps this is to indicate her love of music or singing. She gazes straight at the artist/viewer in a very confident manner, sure of her place in the world. The details and colouring are just superb, given the painting is from the 17th century and this is a rather special Spanish Old Master portrait. Unsigned. |
| Provenance | Labelled verso, 'Portrait by Coello, Property of Lady Beatrice K??, Colematon Cottage, Sidmouth' |
| Medium | Oil on Canvas |
| Size | 35 x 45 inches |
| Frame | Housed in an ornate gilt frame, 52 inches by 42 inches and in good condition. |
| Condition | Good condition. |
| Biography | Claudio Coello (2 March 1642 – 20 April 1693) was a Spanish Baroque painter. Coello is considered the last great Spanish painter of the 17th century. The son of Faustino Coello, a famous Portuguese sculptor, he was a court painter for Charles II. He worked on many churches and public buildings in Madrid, with his most famous work being in the sacristy of El Escorial, which is filled with portraits of priests and courtiers. Claudio Coello was of Portuguese parents, but was born in Madrid in 1642. There, he was instructed in art by Francisco Rizi, and while still in that school, made an altarpiece for San Plácido at Madrid. His acquaintance with the court painter, Juan Carreño de Miranda, allowed him the permission to visit the royal collection, where he made his greatest advance by studying the works of Titian, Rubens, and van Dyck. His friendship with José Jiménez Donoso, under whom he studied in Rome, was not less advantageous for him. In conjunction with Jiménez Donoso, he painted frescoes in Madrid and Toledo and painted the Triumphal Arch for the entrance of the queen, Maria Louisa of Orleans. He became well-known from these paintings and was employed by the Archbishop of Saragossa in 1683. He was made painter to Charles II, by whom he was employed in the Escorial. Coello was the last Spanish painter of eminence for some years, as from the time that Luca Giordano was summoned to Spain, art fell gradually into decay. Many excellent examples of his work are to be seen in the churches and convents in Madrid, Saragossa, and Salamanca. But his principal work is the famous altarpiece in the sacristy of San Lorenzo in the Escorial, representing the Adoration of the Miraculous Host. It is an immense composition, requiring seven years of work. In the crowd of personages that form the procession, there are no less than fifty portraits, including those of the king and the principal figures of the court. It is painted with the utmost precision, yet in a bold and masterly style, and there is a majestic solemnity in the arrangement of the whole, which suits well the grandeur of the subject. It is a very extraordinary performance, and holds its place even alongside the works of Titian and Rubens. He died in Madrid in 1693. |
| Price | £90000 |
