Alonso
Cano

The son of the sculptor and architect Miguel Cano Pacheco, his mother Maria Almansa Pacheco taught drawing. In 1614 he moved to Seville, where he studied painting from Francisco Pacheco. The first known painting — a portrait of San Francisco de Borja — belongs to 1624. In 1629 he created his greatest work is the altarpiece of the Church of Santa Maria de Lebrija in Seville. In 1638 he moved to Madrid, was close to the count-Duke de Olivares.

In 1644 he was accused of murder, imprisoned, tortured, but managed to prove his innocence. Moved to Valencia with the intention to leave the monastery. In 1652 he returned to his native city, where, with the assistance of king Philip IV, was made steward of the Cathedral. Decorated the main chapel and was appointed chief painter of the Cathedral, but died shortly afterwards.

Spanish painter, sculptor and architect, representative of the Baroque.

He was an artist of rare versatility in 17th century Spain, although his architectural work was not extensive. Kano worked in Seville, Madrid and Granada

Studied in Seville of Juan martínez Montañés and Francisco Pacheco sculpture and Juan del Castillo in painting (1616). Worked in Seville (until 1637).

Forced to leave Seville in 1637 because of a duel with the painter Sebastian de Llano y valdés, he fled to Madrid.

In 1637 he moved to Madrid, where he became friends with Velasquez and his recommendations in 1639 was appointed court painter.

In 1644 the suspicion of killing his wife fled from Madrid to Valencia, but in 1649 decided to return to the capital.

On suspicion of killing his wife, Cano was tried and subjected to torture, but acquitted.

In 1652 Kano left Madrid and settled in Granada, but was expelled for misbehaviour in 1656.

Turning to king Philip IV, in 1658 he became a Canon of the Cathedral in Granada, which enabled him to live comfortably for his last years, doing art. In 1667 he was appointed chief architect of the Cathedral under construction in Granada.

During the life of Kano called the Spanish Michelangelo, but the later art historians valued it less highly.

The works of Kano inherent in a noble classical simplicity; his sculptures are full of power, energy and with the tenderness and beauty; in his paintings a strict pattern and perfect color are combined with a deep sense.

Coming from the traditions of wooden sculpture polychrome painted plastic Cano (retablo of the Church of Santa Maria in Lebrija, province of Seville, 1628-38; statues and busts of saints for the Cathedral in Granada, 1658-60) monumental in character, you'll be fine spirituality and life-specific expression.

Less original painting Kano ("the Madonna presenting the infant Christ to St. Anthony", 1645-52, Prado, Madrid), the marked features of idealization, external effects and the influence of Italian art. Kano created the project of the Western façade of the Cathedral of Granada carried out in 1703 by the architect H. Granados

Among his best known works is the Bust of the Apostle Paul (1658-1660) from the Cathedral of Granada, the sculptural composition "the Immaculate conception" (1655-1656) from San Diego to Granada and the cycle of paintings "the Seven joys of Mary" (1652-1654), which, like most of his works are in the Prado Museum.

Kanon died in Granada on 5 October 1667. His paintings scattered throughout the churches of Seville ( "virgin and child"), Madrid ("the Saviour on Calvary", events from the life of St Mary Magdalene), Grenada (7 large images from the life of the blessed virgin, in the Cathedral), málaga ("virgin in glory"), in the Prado in Madrid, Budapest, Dresden, Munich and Berlin. In the Hermitage are: "the virgin with the Infant Saviour," "the Infant Saviour and the infant John the Baptist", "the appearance of the virgin of the Dominican monk".

Among the students of the Kano painters Pedro Atanasio Bocanegra, Juan de Sevilla (1643-95), Jose Risueno, sculptors Pedro de MENA and josé de Mora, who began as a model for works of Kano and then made mnogogolovy sculpture in the style typical of Granada.

Sculptures of the period of Cano in Sevilla has not survived, but many of his wooden statues of the "virgin of the immaculate conception" (1655-56), preserved in Granada.

The facade of the Cathedral of Granada is considered one of the original works of Spanish architecture.