Portrait of Francisco de Zurbaran

Francisco de Zurbaran Painting Reproductions 1 of 2

1598-1664

Spanish Baroque Painter

Francisco Zurbarán (November 7, 1598 - August 27, 1664), was a Spanish painter, born at Fuente de Cantos in Extremadura. His father was Luis Zurbarán, a country labourer; his mother, Isabel Marquet.
In childhood he set about imitating objects with charcoal. His father sent him, still young, to the school of Juan de Roelas in Seville. Zurbarán soon became the best pupil in the studio of Roelas, surpassing the master himself. Even though Seville was full of able painters, he left with a solid reputation.
Style
He may have had here the opportunity of copying some of the paintings of Michelangelo da Caravaggio; at any rate, he gained the name of the Spanish Caravaggio, owing to the forcible, realistic style in which he excelled. He constantly painted direct from nature, following but occasionally improving on his model; and he made great use of the lay-figure in the study of draperies, in which he was peculiarly proficient. He had a special gift for white draperies; as a consequence, the houses of the white-robed Carthusians are abundant in his paintings. To these rigid methods, Zurbarán is said to have adhered throughout his career, which was prosperous, wholly confined to Spain, and varied by few incidents beyond those of his daily labour. His subjects were mostly severe and ascetic religious vigils, the spirit chastising the flesh into subjection, the compositions seldom thronged and often reduced to a single figure. The style is more reserved and chastened than Caravaggio's, the tone of color often quite bluish. Exceptional effects are attained by the precisely finished foregrounds, massed out largely in light and shade.
Later life
While in Seville, Zurbarán married Leonor de Jordera, by whom he had several children. Towards 1630 he was appointed painter to Philip IV; and there is a story that on one occasion the sovereign laid his hand on the artist's shoulder, saying "Painter to the king, king of painters." After 1640 his austere, harsh, hard edged style was unfavorably compared to the sentimental religiosity of Murillo and Zurbarán’s reputation declined. It was only in 1658, late in Zurbarán’s life that he moved to Madrid in search of work and renewed his contact with Velazquez. Zurbarán died in poverty and obscurity.
Artistic Legacy
In 1627 he painted the great altarpiece of St. Thomas Aquinas, now in the Seville museum; it was executed for the church of the college of that saint there. This is Zurbarán's largest composition, containing figures of Christ, the Madonna, various saints, Charles V with knights, and Archbishop Deza (founder of the college) with monks and servitors, all the principal personages being more than life-size. It had been preceded by numerous pictures of the screen of St. Peter Nolasco in the cathedral.
In Santa Maria de Guadalupe he painted various large pictures, eight of which relate to the history of St. Jerome; and in the church of Saint Paul, Seville, a famous figure of the Crucified Saviour, in grisaille, creating an illusion of marble. In 1633 he finished the paintings of the high altar of the Carthusians in Jerez. In the palace of Buenretiro, Madrid are four large canvases representing the Labours of Hercules, an unusual instance of non-Christian subjects from the hand of Zurbarán. A fine example of his work is in the National Gallery, London: a whole-length, life-sized figure of a kneeling Franciscan holding a skull. It seems probable that another picture in the same gallery, the Dead Roland, which used to be ascribed to Diego Velázquez, is really by Zurbarán. His principal scholars, whose style has as much affinity to Ribera as to Caravaggio, were Bernabe de Ayala and the brothers Polanco.

43 Zurbaran Paintings

Saint Francis in Ecstasy, c.1660 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Saint Francis in Ecstasy c.1660

Oil Painting
$1105
Canvas Print
$86.86
SKU: ZUR-883
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 65 x 53 cm
Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany

Still Life with Oranges, Lemons and Rose, 1633 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Still Life with Oranges, Lemons and Rose 1633

Oil Painting
$1379
Canvas Print
$72.50
SKU: ZUR-884
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 62.2 x 109.5 cm
Norton Simon Museum of Art, Pasadena, USA

Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth, c.1635/40 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Christ and the Virgin in the House at Nazareth c.1635/40

Oil Painting
$2589
Canvas Print
$57.13
SKU: ZUR-3225
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 165 x 218.2 cm
Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, USA

Agnus Dei, c.1635/40 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Agnus Dei c.1635/40

Oil Painting
$1180
Canvas Print
$50.33
SKU: ZUR-4839
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 37.3 x 62 cm
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

Agnus Dei, c.1636/40 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Agnus Dei c.1636/40

Oil Painting
$1161
Canvas Print
$50.33
SKU: ZUR-4840
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 35.6 x 52 cm
San Diego Museum of Art, California, USA

The Exhibition of the Body of St. Bonaventure, a.1627 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

The Exhibition of the Body of St. Bonaventure a.1627

Canvas Print
$83.36
SKU: ZUR-7793
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 245 x 220 cm
Louvre Museum, Paris, France

St. Francis in Meditation, 1639 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

St. Francis in Meditation 1639

Oil Painting
$1372
Canvas Print
$106.69
SKU: ZUR-7794
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 162 x 137 cm
National Gallery, London, United Kingdom

Appearance of St. Peter to St. Peter Nolasco, 1629 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Appearance of St. Peter to St. Peter Nolasco 1629

Oil Painting
$1822
Canvas Print
$82.43
SKU: ZUR-7795
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 179 x 223 cm
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

Adoration of the Shepherds, 1638 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Adoration of the Shepherds 1638

Canvas Print
$75.55
SKU: ZUR-7796
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: unknown
Musee des Beaux Arts, Grenoble, France

St. Apollonia, c.1636 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

St. Apollonia c.1636

Oil Painting
$1534
Canvas Print
$50.33
SKU: ZUR-7797
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 134 x 67 cm
Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Hercules and the Cretan Bull, 1634 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Hercules and the Cretan Bull 1634

Oil Painting
$1214
Canvas Print
$66.14
SKU: ZUR-7798
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: unknown
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

The Immaculate Conception, n.d. by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

The Immaculate Conception n.d.

Oil Painting
$1861
Canvas Print
$86.37
SKU: ZUR-7799
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: unknown
Museo Diocesano de Siguenza, Guadalajara, Spain

The Immaculate Conception, c.1628/30 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

The Immaculate Conception c.1628/30

Oil Painting
$1883
Canvas Print
$81.71
SKU: ZUR-7800
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 101 x 76 cm
Private Collection

Levitation of St. Francis, n.d. by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Levitation of St. Francis n.d.

Oil Painting
$1574
Canvas Print
$72.90
SKU: ZUR-7801
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 100 x 81.6 cm
Bowes Museum, County Durham, United Kingdom

Portrait of the Devout John Houghton, c.1637/39 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Portrait of the Devout John Houghton c.1637/39

Oil Painting
$1421
Canvas Print
$50.33
SKU: ZUR-7802
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 122 x 64 cm
Museo de Cadiz, Cadiz, Spain

Vision of St. Peter Nolasco, 1629 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Vision of St. Peter Nolasco 1629

Oil Painting
$2290
Canvas Print
$81.91
SKU: ZUR-7803
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 179 x 223 cm
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

St. Gregory the Great, n.d. by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

St. Gregory the Great n.d.

Oil Painting
$2205
Canvas Print
$58.60
SKU: ZUR-7804
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 198 x 125 cm
Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville, Spain

The Apotheosis of St. Thomas Aquinas, 1631 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

The Apotheosis of St. Thomas Aquinas 1631

Canvas Print
$73.68
SKU: ZUR-7805
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 486 x 385 cm
Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville, Spain

St. Luke as a Painter before Christ on the Cross, c.1660 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

St. Luke as a Painter before Christ on the Cross c.1660

Oil Painting
$1620
Canvas Print
$87.87
SKU: ZUR-7806
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 108 x 84 cm
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

St. Euphemia, n.d. by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

St. Euphemia n.d.

Oil Painting
$1463
Canvas Print
$77.98
SKU: ZUR-7807
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: unknown
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

St. Hugh of Cluny in the Refectory of the Carthusians, 1633 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

St. Hugh of Cluny in the Refectory of the Carthusians 1633

Canvas Print
$74.96
SKU: ZUR-7808
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 262 x 307 cm
Museo de Bellas Artes, Seville, Spain

Hercules Fighting with the Nemean Lion, n.d. by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Hercules Fighting with the Nemean Lion n.d.

Oil Painting
$1695
Canvas Print
$81.91
SKU: ZUR-7809
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: unknown
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

St. Bonaventure at the Council of Lyons in 1274, 1627 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

St. Bonaventure at the Council of Lyons in 1274 1627

Canvas Print
$85.98
SKU: ZUR-7810
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 250 x 225 cm
Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Virgin and Child, 1658 by Zurbaran | Painting Reproduction

Virgin and Child 1658

Oil Painting
$1549
Canvas Print
$60.33
SKU: ZUR-7811
Francisco de Zurbaran
Original Size: 101 x 78 cm
Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, Russia

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