HERRERA, FRANCISCO (1576-1656) surnamed EL VIEJO (the old), Spanish painter, was born at Seville, is said to have studied under Luis Fernandez or under Francisco Pacheco. He was a skilful engraver, an accomplishment that led to his being charged with coining base money. He had to seek sanctuary in the Jesuit college of San Hermenegildo, which he adorned with a fine picture of its patron saint, now in the museum at Seville. Philip IV. on his visit to Seville in 1624 having seen this picture and learned the position of the artist pardoned him. In 1629 Herrera painted in conjunction with Turbaran for the church of St. Bonaventura at Seville a series of pictures illustrating the life of the saint ; of the four paintings which were executed by Herrera three have survived ; one is now in Prado museum at Madrid. Other notable works are the "Last Judgment" in the church of San Bernerdo at Seville ; the "Pentecost" (1617) in the Greco Museum at Toledo ; the "Vision of St. Basil" in the Louvre; the "St. Jerome" in the museum of Rouen. His last extant work dated 1648 is the "St. Joseph with the Child," in the possession of Don T. Lazaro, Madrid. Herrera often chose humble subjects as fairs, carnivals, ale houses and the like, and these genre paintings called bodegones were much sought after. Three of these are still extant ; one is in the Czernin collection at Vienna, one in the museum of Nantes and another in that of Avignon. There are some bold pen and ink drawings by the master representing apos tles at the British Museum and at the National Library in Madrid. In 165o Herrera moved from Seville to Madrid where he died in 1656. He was of violent temper; was amongst the strongest and most rebellious of Spanish artists; and it is said of him that he was wont to paint with heavy brushes and even with reeds. Under the influence of the painting of Juan de Ruelas, Herrera relin quished the timid Italian manner of the old Spanish school of painting and helped to initiate the free vigorous touch and style which reached such perfection in Velasquez. His pictures are marked by realism, energy of design and freedom of execution ; he was a master of chiaroscuro, making his figures stand out in strong relief ; his colour is vibrating. Among his pupils were Ignacio Iriarte, a landscape painter; and Velasquez, who as a boy of 13 worked in his studio for six months.
His son, FRANCISCO HERRERA (1622-1685), surnamed el Mozo (the young), was a painter and architect. Unable to endure his father's temper, the younger Herrera fled from Seville to Rome, where he became renowned for his pictures of still-life, flowers and fruit, and from his skill in painting fish was called by the Italians lo Spagnuolo degli pesci. In later life he painted portraits with great success. He returned to Seville at his father's death, and in 166o was employed on two pictures in the cathedral; in 166o he was appointed sub-director of the new academy there, under Murillo. Soon after he went to Madrid, where he was employed to paint a San Hermenegildo (now in the Prado Mu seum), for the barefooted Carmelites, and to decorate in fresco the roof of the choir of San Felipe el Real. The success of this last work procured for him a commission from Philip IV. to paint in fresco the roof of the Atocha church. He chose as his subject the Assumption of the Virgin. He was rewarded with the title of painter to the king, and was appointed superintendent of the royal buildings. Other notable works painted in Madrid are the "Ecce Homo," and "Christ bearing the Cross," in the Cer valdo collection in Madrid. His pictures are inferior to the older Herrera's both in design and in execution. As architect he is said to have designed the plans for the Pilas cathedral at Saragossa, the first important Baroque church in Spain. His youngest brother, known as Herrera el Rubio (the ruddy), who died very young, gave great promise as a painter.