Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor y Zaragoza

Category: Painter
Birth Date: 25th September 1875 (†17th March 1960)
Birth Place: Ferrol (A Coruña)
 Curriculum

He studied Secondary Education at 'Mª Cristina de El Escorial School' and then he studied Arts in Madrid. In 1899, he got a grant for the Fine Arts Academy in Rome. In 1904, he went back to Madrid and in 1906 he got the first medal of the Fine Arts National Exhibition for his painting Los abuelos (The grandparents). He married Pilar de Castro and in 1911 he emigrated to Chile. He had five children. In 1915, he came back to Spain and began to paint portraits at the court of the King Alfonso XIII. In 1922 he became the director of Prado Museum and some years later he was also nominated as director of 'San Fernando' Fine Arts College.

 Work & Activities

The themes are varied in his painting. We can see the mythologic theme in paintings such as Orfeo y las bacantes, El rapto de Europa, La ninfa y el centauro and Fauno sorprendiendo a unas ninfas; the religous theme in the paintings Santa Teresa de Jesús and San Juan de la Cruz; we can also see Galician landscape in his works Pescantina del Berbés, Compostelana, Comida de boda, As oleiras de Buño, Moza betanceira, Mujeres de pescadores, El desayuno del ataúd and Infortunio. We must also stand out many portraits of the king Alfonso XIII, the Duchess of Lerma and a portrait of the General Franco, as well as a portrait of his wife and his own portrait.

 Other Interesting Aspects

In addition to the medal of the Fine Arts National Exhibition, he got medals in other International Exhibitions in Barcelona, Munich, Buenos Aires and Lieja. Besides, Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor got many honours as for example the Great Cross of Alfonso X, the Wise.