Villegas y Cordero, Jose (1844-1921) - 1872 The Slipper Merchant (Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore)
José Villegas Cordero was a Spanish painter born in Seville. He began his training very young with Jose Maria Romero until joining the School of Fine Arts in Seville, where he was under the tutelage of Eduardo Cano. In 1860, at the age of 16, he sold his first work. In 1867 he traveled to Madrid, where he entered the studio of Federico Madrazo and met Mariano Fortuny. Like Fortuny, Corrdero developed an interest in Orientalism and visited Morocco.
In 1898, Villegas is given the position of Director of the Spanish Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. In 1901 he was appointed director of the Museo del Prado and leaves Rome and moves to Madrid. During this time he painted the portraits of Alfonso XIII (1902) and Pastora Imperio (1913) In 1914, concludes a series of twelve paintings titled Decalogue, which deals with the Ten Commandments plus a prologue and an epilogue. His subjects are varied: historical, folkloric and anecdotal. His brushwork is loose and spontaneous. His influences are Fortuny, Madrazo and Eduardo Rosales. His works include: The death of the Teacher (1882), Dance Bulerías (1884), and the Moroccan Smoker.
Villegas y Cordero, Jose (1844-1921) - 1872 The Slipper Merchant (Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore)
José Villegas Cordero was a Spanish painter born in Seville. He began his training very young with Jose Maria Romero until joining the School of Fine Arts in Seville, where he was under the tutelage of Eduardo Cano. In 1860, at the age of 16, he sold his first work. In 1867 he traveled to Madrid, where he entered the studio of Federico Madrazo and met Mariano Fortuny. Like Fortuny, Corrdero developed an interest in Orientalism and visited Morocco.
In 1898, Villegas is given the position of Director of the Spanish Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. In 1901 he was appointed director of the Museo del Prado and leaves Rome and moves to Madrid. During this time he painted the portraits of Alfonso XIII (1902) and Pastora Imperio (1913) In 1914, concludes a series of twelve paintings titled Decalogue, which deals with the Ten Commandments plus a prologue and an epilogue. His subjects are varied: historical, folkloric and anecdotal. His brushwork is loose and spontaneous. His influences are Fortuny, Madrazo and Eduardo Rosales. His works include: The death of the Teacher (1882), Dance Bulerías (1884), and the Moroccan Smoker.