He was a pupil of Velázquez in Madrid and the only Galician painter of Felipe IV's court.
His first painting was San Jerónimo. He dealt with religious topics but his paintings mainly showed customs and manners and natural people: El afilador, El sacamuelas, La Taberna, El Aceitero, La sopa de los pobres, Muchacho riendo, Gitana, Megrito moliendo chocolate, Retrato de joven con armadura, Bebedor... He also painted portraits of King Felipe IV, the Queen, Count-Duke Oliveres and other people of the Court. His paintings are preserved in the museums of Pontevedra and Ourense, in Caixavigo, in private collections and foreign museums.