ZURBARÁN, Juan de
(b. 1620, Llerena, d. 1649, Sevilla)

Biography

Painter, son of Francisco de Zurbarán. He was brought up in Llerena in the prosperous household of his father and stepmother, Dona Beatriz de Morales, and he was later trained by his father in Seville. Although he is known to have painted religious works on commission, Juan de Zurbarán seems to have specialized in still-lifes, for his only certain works are in this genre. Socially he was somewhat pretentious, partial to such courtly pastimes as the dance, and using the aristocratic 'Don' when signing his name. In 1644 he married Mariana de Quadros, daughter of a wealthy money-lender.