Juan Lovera
Juan Lovera(11 July 1776,Caracas- 29 January 1841, Caracas) was a Venezuelan painter, best known for his portraits and historical scenes relating to his country's independence movement.
Biography
[edit]His father was theChandlerofCaracas Cathedraland he received his first art lessons at theDominicanconvent of San Jacinto.[1]Later, he was apprenticed to Antonio José Landaeta (?-?), one of a family of influentialBaroquepainters in 18th-Century Caracas.[2]By 1799, he had his own workshop, where two of his first portrait sitters wereAlexander von HumboldtandAimé Bonpland.[1]
He fought for the cause of independence, which resulted in his persecution following the collapse of theFirst Venezuelan Republicin 1812. Two years later, when Caracas was invaded by the army ofJosé Tomás Boves,he fled toCumaná.Some accounts say he remained there, teaching art, others say he travelled through the West Indies.[2]Either way, after Venezuela became part ofGran Colombia,he returned to Caracas.
In 1821,Carlos Soubletteoffered him the position ofCorregidor,which he reluctantly accepted and, one year later, was promoted toAlcalde ordinario.[1]From 1821 to 1823, he also worked on decorating the meeting room of theCabildo.
After 1824, he had a number of notable figures as portrait sitters, includingJosé Antonio Páez,Cristóbal Mendoza,Simón BolívarandJosé María Vargas.He was also an associate of General Francisco de Paula Avendaño (1792-1870), who established Venezuela's firstlithographicworkshop in 1828.[3]
His last years were devoted almost entirely to teaching. One of his most prominent students was Pedro Lovera (1826-1914), who was long believed to be his son, but may have been his nephew.[4]He was also a professor at the drawing academy. The Caracas art society, founded after his death in 1841, was partly inspired as a way of honoring his memory.
References
[edit]- ^abcJuan Lovera@ Wikihistoria del Arte Venezolano.
- ^abBrief biography@ MCN Biografías.
- ^Nace Francisco de Paula AvendañoArchived2015-04-14 at theWayback Machine@ EnContrArte
- ^Pedro Lovera@ Wikihistoria del Arte Venezolano.
Further reading
[edit]- Carlos F. Duarte,Juan Lovera, el pintor de los próceres(painter of heroes), Fundación Pampero, 1985
- Juan Lovera y su tiempo(expanded from an exhibition catalog), Galería de Arte Nacional (Venezuela), 1981
External links
[edit]
Media related toJuan Loveraat Wikimedia Commons
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