SIR ANTONIO MORO.Black suit and ruff. Black cap.BORN 1512, DIED 1588.By Himself.
SIR ANTONIO MORO.Black suit and ruff. Black cap.BORN 1512, DIED 1588.By Himself.
SIR ANTONIO MORO.
Black suit and ruff. Black cap.
BORN 1512, DIED 1588.
By Himself.
HE was a native of Utrecht, and a disciple of John Schoorel, who was distinguished not only as a painter, being a pupil of Mabuse, but as a poet and orator. Moro travelled in Italy, and studied the great masters. He painted historical and sacred subjects, but excelled in portraits, and followed the style of Holbein. Cardinal Granvelle recommended him to CharlesV., for whom he painted Prince Philip, afterwards PhilipII.of Spain. The Emperor gave Moro a commission to the Court of Portugal, to execute the portraits of King JohnIII., his wife, Catherine of Austria, and the Infanta Mary, afterwards Queen of Spain. Sir William Stirling, in his delightful work on Spanish painters, says, ‘Moro’s pencil made that marrying monarch, PhilipII.,acquainted with the forms and features of his two first wives, the Maries of Portugal and England.’ For the three Portuguese pictures the painter received six hundred ducats, besides a costly gold chain, presented to him by the nobles of the country, and other gifts. But when he went to England to take sittings of Queen Mary (the betrothed of Philip of Spain), Antonio was remunerated still more magnificently. He received one hundred pounds (then esteemed a large sum) for the Queen’s likeness, and a splendid chain of gold, with a pension of one hundred pounds a quarter on his appointment as painter to the Court. He remained in England during the whole of Mary’s reign, and both the Queen and her husband sat to him several times. He also painted numbers of the courtiers and nobility, but, from omitting to annex the names, the identity of many of his characteristic portraits is lost. Horace Walpole regrets this neglect in his notice of Moro, and says truly, ‘The poorest performer may add merit to his works by identifying the subjects, and this would be a reparation to the curious world, though it would rob many families of imaginary ancestors.’
When Queen Mary died, Moro, or More, as he was called in England, followed King Philip to Spain, where he remained for some time in high favour. He left the country suddenly, and the cause of his departure has been differently accounted for by different writers. The version of the story most currently believed is as follows:—King Philip frequented the artist’s studio, and one day, as he was standing beside the easel, his Majesty familiarly placed his hand on Moro’s shoulder. The painter turned round abruptly, and smeared the Royal hand with carmine. The attendants stood aghast at this breach of etiquette; but the King appeared to treat the matter as a jest. It was not long, however, before Moro received a warning from his patron that the officers of the Inquisition were on his track, and thathe was in imminent danger of arrest on the plea of having ‘bewitched the King.’
One thing was certain, that the fact of an alien standing so high in Philip’s favour had aroused a feeling of ill-will and jealousy among the courtiers, who would probably lay hold of any pretext to effect the favourite’s ruin. Moro fled to Brussels, where he was warmly welcomed by the Duke of Alva, then Governor of the Low Countries; here he painted the portrait of the brave but cruel commander, and of one or two of his mistresses. It was rumoured that Philip invited him to return to Spain, and that Alva intercepted the letters, being unwilling to part with the great artist. Be this as it may, Moro never again put himself in the power of the Inquisition, but passed the remainder of his days in ease, and even opulence. He had amassed a good fortune by his works in all parts of Europe, and the Duke of Alva made him receiver of the revenues of West Flanders, an appointment which is said to have so elated Moro that he burned his easel and destroyed his painting tools; but we are not bound to believe a story so unlikely.
He died at Antwerp, while engaged in painting the Circumcision for the Cathedral of that city. Sir Antonio was remarkable for the refinement of his manners and the dignity of his bearing. He painted several portraits of himself, one of which represents him as a tall stately man, with a frank open countenance, red hair and beard, dressed in a dark doublet, with slashed sleeves, a massive chain round his throat, and a brindled wolf-hound by his side.
SMALL DINING-ROOM.
SMALL DINING-ROOM.
SMALL DINING-ROOM.