Joanes (or Juanes),Vicente

Joanes (Or Juanes),Vicente, a celebrated Spanish painter whose subjects are exclusively religious, was born at Fuente la Higuera, in Valencia, in 1523. He studied in Italy, and, as we may infer from his style, chiefly the works of the Roman school, and died Dec. 21, 1579, while engaged in finishing the altar piece of the church of Bocairente. His body was removed to Valencia, and deposited in the church of Santa Cruz in 1581. Joanes was one of the best of the Spanish painters: he is acknowledged as the head of the school of Valencia, and is sometimes termed the Spanish Raffaelle. His drawing is correct, and displays many successful examples of foreshortening; his draperies are well cast, his coloring is sombre (he was particularly fond of mulberry color), and his expression is mostly in perfect accordance with his subject, which is generally devotion or impassioned resignation, as in the "Baptism of Christ" in the cathedral of Valencia. Like his countrymen Vargas and D'Amato of Naples, he is said to have always taken the sacrament before he commenced an altar piece. His best works are in the cathedral of Valencia, and there are several good specimens in the Prado at Madrid.

⇒See also the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.