Benito Espinós (1748,

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

- March 23, 1818, Valencia) was a Spanish painter who specialized in floral

still-life A still life (: still lifes) is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or human-made (drinking glasses, books, ...

s and ornamentation.

Biography

His father, José Espinós (1721-1784), was a painter and engraver who had trained with the

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

master,

Evaristo Muñoz Evaristo Muñoz Estarlich (1684 in Valencia – 1737 in Valencia) was a Spanish Baroque painter; a follower of the decorative style introduced to Valencia by Antonio Palomino. Some sources give his year of birth as 1671. Biography He studied ...

. He began his career working in his father's studio, painting decorative designs for the textile manufactory that had been established in Valencia by the (Five Guilds) of Madrid. In 1784, he was named Director of the School of Flowers and Ornamentation at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos, whose primary function was providing design for the silk industry. Through the mediation of the Conde de Floridablanca, he also received commissions from the Royal Court. In 1788 he travelled to Madrid, with the object of presenting five of his paintings to the soon-to-be King

Carlos IV Charles IV (; 11 November 1748 – 20 January 1819) was King of Spain and ruler of the Spanish Empire from 1788 to 1808. The Spain inherited by Charles IV gave few indications of instability, but during his reign, Spain entered a series of disa ...

''La belleza de lo real. Floreros y Bodegones españoles en el Museo del Prado 1600-1800'', catálogo de la exposición, Madrid, 1995, Museo Nacional del Prado. In 1815, after suffering a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

that caused him to lose his sight in one eye, he resigned from his position at the Academia. During his years there, he taught and influenced several artists who would become notable floral painters, including Miguel Parra Abril and . Alfonso E. Pérez Sánchez, ''Pintura española de bodegones y floreros de 1600 a Goya'' (exhibition catalog), 1983, Ministerio de Cultura In his output, one may distinguish two clear phases; the first which featured elaborate garlands, backed by architectural scenes or figures, and the second, consisting largely of natural floral arrangements with vases and other simple props. All of his work maintains a strict Classical style. Many of his works may be seen at the Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi.

References

External links

More works by Espinós
@ ArtNet
Biography
@ the

Museo del Prado The Museo del Prado ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It houses collections of Art of Europe, European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th ce ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Espinos, Benito 1748 births 1818 deaths Painters from Valencia 18th-century Spanish painters 18th-century Spanish male artists Spanish male painters 19th-century Spanish painters Spanish floral still life painters 19th-century Spanish male artists