José del Castillo

Who was José del Castillo?

José del Castillo was a Spanish painter and a leader of the artistic movement Illustrious Absolutism. Many of his paintings were done on tapestries.

Castillo made many attempts to become Royal Painter for the Spanish monarchy, but he was never successful. This was not due to a lack of talent, but rather because Castillo allied himself with the wrong noble. His patron, the Earl of Floridablanca, feuded bitterly with the Earl of Aranda. The Earl of Aranda was favored by King Carlos III, and as a result, Ramón Bayeu became Royal Painter.

After Carlos III died, Castillo tried again to become Royal Painter. Unfortunately, the new monarch, Carlos IV, decided to leave the position of Royal Painter vacant.