Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor y Zaragoza
Encyclopedia
Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor y Zaragoza (born El Ferrol, September 25, 1875 – died Madrid
, March 17, 1960) was a Spanish
painter.
and at the age of 10 years old was the only person to draw a portrait of King Alfonso XII in his death bed (the drawing still belongs to the painter's family) and participated in courses of philosophy and literature in Madrid. In 1899 he achieved a scholarship to continue his studies in Rome
, where he lived for four years. Before his return to Spain in 1904, he visited France, Belgium and the Netherlands. He married Pilar de Castro. They had seven children. Around 1910 he moved to Chile
, where he held the chair of coloration and composition at the art school and became director of it. In 1915, the family returned to Spain. Back in Madrid, he was nominated court painter of Alfonso XIII
. In 1922 he became director of the Museo del Prado
and member of the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. As director of the Museo del Prado, he was in charge until 1931 when he was obliged to leave the post due to the rise of the republic in Spain. he later became director of the museum a second time after the Spanish Civil War
until he died.He played a great role in hiding most of the paintings the museum held during the Spanish civil war and later on recuperating them. From 1953 to 1955 he was also director of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.
), as well as medals in Munich
, Buenos Aires
and Liège, and was decorated with the Grand Cross
of the Orden de Alfonso X el Sabio, The great Cross of Isabel La Catolica, Great Cross Of Alfonso XII and with the Italian Court medal.
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, March 17, 1960) was a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
painter.
Biography
Álvarez de Sotomayor visited the Colegio Mª Cristina in El EscorialEl Escorial
The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the king of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres northwest of the capital, Madrid, in Spain. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and...
and at the age of 10 years old was the only person to draw a portrait of King Alfonso XII in his death bed (the drawing still belongs to the painter's family) and participated in courses of philosophy and literature in Madrid. In 1899 he achieved a scholarship to continue his studies in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he lived for four years. Before his return to Spain in 1904, he visited France, Belgium and the Netherlands. He married Pilar de Castro. They had seven children. Around 1910 he moved to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, where he held the chair of coloration and composition at the art school and became director of it. In 1915, the family returned to Spain. Back in Madrid, he was nominated court painter of Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
. In 1922 he became director of the Museo del Prado
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of...
and member of the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. As director of the Museo del Prado, he was in charge until 1931 when he was obliged to leave the post due to the rise of the republic in Spain. he later became director of the museum a second time after the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
until he died.He played a great role in hiding most of the paintings the museum held during the Spanish civil war and later on recuperating them. From 1953 to 1955 he was also director of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.
Awards
Álvarez de Sotomayor was multiple awarded. In 1904 he won the second and in 1906 the first medal at the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes (national exposition of fine arts). In 1907 he won the Exposición Internacional de Barcelona (international exposition of BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
), as well as medals in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and Liège, and was decorated with the Grand Cross
Grand Cross
The phrase Grand Cross is used to denote the highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes the holders of the highest grade are referred to "knights grand cross" or just "grand crosses"; in other cases the actual insignia itself is called "the grand cross".Alternatively, in some other...
of the Orden de Alfonso X el Sabio, The great Cross of Isabel La Catolica, Great Cross Of Alfonso XII and with the Italian Court medal.