Antonio Carnicero

Antonio Carnicero (1748 - 1814) was a Spanish painter of the Neoclassical style In addition to his paintings, over the course of his career he also produced prints and engravings as well as creating theatrical decorations

Carnicero was born in Salamanca on 10 January 1748 His father, the sculptor Alejandro Carnicero, went to the court of Madrid in 1749 to fulfill a commission for a series of sculptures in the royal palace Antonio's brothers Gregorio and Isidro were also artists

After initial training from his father, Carnicero entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in 1758 At age 12, he was awarded a scholarship to accompany his brother Isidro to Rome so they could further their study of painting In 1766 he returned to Madrid, where he began to paint for civil and religious institutions as well as private clients

Son of the sculptor Alejandro Carnicero, traveled to the court Madrid in 1749 by Felipe de Castro accompanying his father who had been ordered a set of sculptures for the royal stays He was also painter his stepbrother Isidro Carnicero He entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in 1758 and at twelve years he was awarded a scholarship by the Academy to go along with his brother Isidro to expand his painting studies in Rome

In 1766 he returned to Madrid where he began painting for civil and ecclesiastical institutions, private clients and, later, for the Royal House collaborating since 1775 with José del Castillo in the execution of cartones for tapestries He also worked as a theatrical decorator with accomplishments for the Theater of the Cross and Prince's Theater documented in 1885

In 1775, Carnicero collaborated with Joseph del Castillo in the execution of tapestry cartoons for the royal household He also worked as a theatrical decorator for performances at the Teatro de la Cruz and the Teatro del Principe Between 1780 and 1782, he provided illustrations for a project of the Royal Spanish Academy to prepare a deluxe printing of Don Quixote, edited by Joaquín Ibarra, that became a milestone edition of the Spanish literary classic

His ability as an artist and painter gained a growing reputation with a colorful series Costumes of Spain and the Indies (1777), portraits of illustrious Spanish personages (1788), and a series of etchings on bullfighting (1790) He scored a major success with his work The Coronation of King Alfonso XI and Queen Mary, His Wife for a competition to decorate the Royal Basilica of San Francisco el Grande Two other well-known works depict the contemporary sensation of early hot air balloon flights These paintings might depict one of two events: the first manned flight on 21 November 1783, by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes in Paris, or more likely a later demonstration from 5 June 1784, which took place in the gardens of Aranjuez in the presence of the Spanish court

He excelled as a draftsman and engraver His skill is shown in the picturesque series Costumes of Spain and Indies (1777), his series of engravings on Tauromaquia (1790) or portraits of illustrious Spanish characters (1788) He participated with his prints in the editorial project that the Royal Spanish Academy prepared of a luxury impression of El Quijote, which was edited by Joaquin Ibarra in 1780 and 1782, and was a milestone in the edition of the classic par excellence of Spanish literature

It obtained a great result with the work the coronation of the king Alfonso XI and the queen Maria, its woman in the contest summoned to decorate the church of San Francisco the Great one of Madrid In 1783 or 1784 he becomes a chronicler illustrating the Ascension of a Montgolfier in Aranjuez, which may reflect two events: one dated June 5, 1784, in which the airship of the French Bouclé rose in the gardens of Aranjuez in the presence of The court and the people dressed in majos; Or another that occurred on November 23, 1783 in Paris, starring the Marquis d'Arle and Pilastre de Rozier

King's chamber painter:
In 1796, and after several failed attempts in 1788, 1792 and 1793, Butcher was appointed king's chamber painter, working since then mainly as portraitist of the royal family and other ministers of the court - portraits of young Manuel Godoy or Pedro Rodríguez de Campomanes - and as a painter of cartons for tapestries

He was teacher of drawing of the infantes of the royal family, especially of the then prince of Asturias Ferdinand VII The relation with the prince attracted on Butcher the suspicion of being involved in the call conspiracy of El Escorial that in 1806 directed Fernando in order to dethrone to his father, to the point of being arrested the 7 of November of 1807 remaining more than ten Days in this situation until he was released

From 1809 he was forced, like Francisco de Goya, to work for Jose I Bonaparte not to lose his position of Camera Painter Antonio Carnicero - unlike the Aragonese - was initiated a process to be removed from his post to understand that he had served the foreign king Butcher petition did not arrive in time to be

Royal appointment:
In 1796, Carnicero was named chamber painter for King Charles IV of Spain This came after several previous failed attempts to secure a court appointment (in 1788, 1792 and 1793) From that point on, he worked mainly as a portraitist of the royal family and leading ministers at court, such as painting a young Manuel Godoy or Pedro Rodríguez de Campomanes

He taught drawing to the children of the royal family, especially the future Ferdinand VII, then Prince of Asturias On account of his relationship with the Prince, Carnicero drew suspicion of being involved in the El Escorial Conspiracy of 1807 to dethrone Charles IV As a result, Carnicero was arrested on 7 November and detained for over ten days before being released

As Spain came under Napoleonic rule, beginning in 1809 Carnicero, like Francisco Goya, was required to work for Joseph Bonaparte to maintain his position as court painter After the restoration of the Bourbons, Carnicero was put on trial for removal from his office on the grounds that he had served the foreign king An appeal to reinstate him came too late when Carnicero died in Madrid on 21 August 1814, just days before an amnesty was proclaimed by Ferdinand VII
http://hisour.com/artist/antonio-carnicero/