FERNÁNDEZ, Gregorio
(b. ca. 1576, d. 1636, Valladolid)

Biography

Gregório Fernandez (or Hernandez), Spanish sculptor, active at Valladolid from c.1605. Continuing the tradition of painted religious sculpture, he worked in the manner of Juan de Juni but with greater realism of expressive gesture. He was one of the first and greatest masters of Baroque naturalism in Spain, abandoning the earlier practice of using gold and brilliant colours and insisting upon realistic colouring from the polychromists who painted his sculptures. Among the numerous altarpieces emanating from his workshop are those of S. Miguel, Valladolid (1606) and Plasencia Cathedral (1624-34). He is well represented in Valladolid Museum.