Francisco Pradilla Y Ortiz

Francisco Pradilla y Ortiz was born into a poor family in Zaragoza, Spain. He was forced to leave the local art academy in Zaragoza shortly after enrolling, as he could not afford to buy his own supplies. Instead, Pradilla joined the workshop of the stage scenery painter Mariano Pescador, using his earnings to attend the Fine Arts School in the Academia di San Luis in Zaragoza and eventually moving to Madrid in 1863.

In Madrid, Pradilla continued to make a living painting scenery for theatres. He undertook training at the School of Painting and Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid and regularly visited the collection of the Prado to copy Old Master paintings, inclluding works by Velázquez, Titian, El Greco and Ribera, whom had a profound influence on the young artist. He retained this commitment to studying the Old Masters throughout his life, which was complemented by dedication to the study of Greek and Roman texts, along with Spanish historical documents which inspired many of his paintings.

Pradilla was among the first group of students given government scholarships to study at the new Spanish Academy in Rome. He became one of its most influential students (1874-77) and teachers (1877-96). While a student, Pradilla travelled extensively, visiting Venice, Florence, Milan, Pisa, Paris, and six cities in Germany. 

He returned to Madrid shortly before the end of January 1897, after being named Director of the Prado Museum. He held the post until August 1898, when he resigned, dedicating himself totally to painting until his death in 1921.

By the end of his life, Francisco Pradilla y Ortiz had served as the Director of the Prado Museum, won numerous international awards, including the French Legion of Honor, and held the position of the Director of the Spanish Academy in Rome. He is best remembered for having taught the painter Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida in Rome, and for galvanising a new generation of history painters in Spain. Retrospectives of his life and works were held in Madrid (1948 and 1985) and Zaragoza (1985). Three of his major works are now held in the Prado, but the majority are held in private hands or regional museums and government buildings, especially in his native Zaragoza.