Aureliano de Beruete

Aureliano de Beruete was born in Madrid in 1845 to a wealthy family. He studied law at the University of Madrid and obtained his doctorate in civil law in 1867. He began his political career as a deputy in the Cortes in 1871, representing the Progressive Party. He was re-elected in 1872 and 1905, but he gradually lost interest in politics and devoted himself to painting and art criticism. He started painting as a hobby, taking classes at the School of Fine Arts with Carlos de Haes, a renowned landscape painter. He visited the Prado Museum frequently and copied works by Velázquez, Goya, and other masters. He also traveled extensively throughout Spain and Europe, painting landscapes and scenes of rural life. He was influenced by the Impressionist movement and developed a personal style characterized by loose brushstrokes, bright colors, and atmospheric effects. He was friends with many artists of his time, such as Martín Rico, Ramón Casas, and Joaquín Sorolla, who painted two of his best portraits. He also wrote several books on art history and criticism, including a monograph on Velázquez that was published in Paris in 1898. He was an advocate of modernizing Spanish art and culture and supported young artists who shared his vision. He died in Madrid in 1912 at the age of 66. His son, Aureliano de Beruete y Moret, inherited his art collection and donated it to the Prado Museum. He also became a distinguished art historian and director of the Prado Museum. Aureliano de Beruete is considered one of the pioneers of landscape painting in Spain and one of the most important figures of Spanish culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.