Andrés Amaya

• Name — Andrés Amaya • Born — c. 1645 • Birthplace — Unknown • Died — 29 October 1704 • Place of death — Valladolid, Spain • Spouse — Isabel Lozano • Style — Baroque, religious art, oil painter • Illustration — Saint Joseph with the Child, oil on canvas, 154 x 97 cm, Valladolid, National Sculpture Museum.

Nothing is known about Amaya's origins and background, and little about his life and career. One modern Spanish source describes his life and activity as cubierta por una enorme bruma ("covered by an enormous mist"). The best that can be said is, that the surname "Amaya" is associated with the small village of Amaya in Burgos, Castile and León. Few of his paintings are dated, which makes it difficult to establish a chronology. Most of his works are on religious subjects, but he is said to have also painted portraits. His surviving works are scattered in and around Valladolid. According to Spanish art historian Juan Agustín Ceán Bermúdez (1749-1829), Amaya was a disciple of Vicente Carducho (1576/78–1638). Amaya cannot have been Carducho's pupil, because their dates do not overlap. It is possible that Amaya knew or was influenced by later Spanish painters of the Madrid high Baroque school, such as José Moreno (artist) (after 1630 - 1677) and Francisco de Solís (c. 1620/1625 - 1684), and the court painters of the time. He has also been said to have been influenced by Alonso Cano (1601-1667). In 1687, Valladolid painter Amaro Alonso de Llanos (Amaro Alonso Méndez, 1640–1699) married Damiana Jalón y Gallo, widow of the painter Juan Sanz. Amaya was one of the witnesses. That is one of the very few contemporary records of Amaya's existence. His wife was Isabel (Lozano). They lived "outside the Puerta del Campo"; that is, roughly in the area of the modern Plaza de Zorrilla in Valladolid. Amaya died on 29 October 1704. The Valladolid painter Ignacio de Prado was his pupil; Amaya's widow called Ignacio "una persona de mi cariño y de que tengo entera satisfacción" ("a person in my affection and in whom I have complete satisfaction").

These works have been attributed to Amaya: • 1682Pinturas del retablo mayor ("paintings at the main altar"), Iglesia de San Martín, Segovia • 1693San Francisco y Santa Teresa ("St Francis and St Teresa"), Iglesia Penitencial de la Vera Cruz, Valladolid • c. 1667-1700La Virgen apareciéndose a Fernando III el Santo ("The Virgin appears to Fernando III the Saint"), National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid • Last third of 17th centuryApparizione della Vergine ad un domenicano di Soriano ("The Virgin appears to a Dominican in Soriano"), National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid • c. 1693Sagrada Familia ("The Holy Family"), Iglesia Penitencial de la Vera Cruz, Valladolid • c. 1700San Joaquín ("St Joachim"), Iglesia de San Pedro, Valladolid • Unknown dateSan José con el Niño ("Saint Joseph and the Christ Child"), Valladolid Cathedral • Unknown dateSan José con el Niño ("St Joseph and the Christ Child"), National Museum of Sculpture, Valladolid • Unknown dateSerie de lienzos sobre la vida de San Juan Bautista ("series of paintings on the life of St John the Baptist"), Basílica de San Isidoro, León • Unknown dateunknown subject, Iglesia de San Miguel, Palencia • Unknown dateunknown subject, San Millán de la Cogolla • Unknown dateunknown subject, Toro, Zamora • Unknown dateunknown subject, Villafranca del Bierzo

• Illustration — La Virgen apareciéndose a Fernando III el Santo (c. 1667-1700) • Illustration — Apparizione della Vergine ad un domenicano di Soriano (last third of 17th century) • Illustration — San José con el Niño (c. 1680-1700), National Museum of Sculpture • Illustration — San Francisco y Santa Teresa (1693) • Illustration — Sagrada Familia (c. 1693)