Bartolomé Maura is considered the leading engraver of reproductions. A specialist in chalcographic engraving, he showed a predilection for painting from the Spanish school. He was extraordinarily skilled at capturing the colouring of paintings through the play of light and shadows or the choice of inks and their shades. He also engraved numerous portraits of public figures of his time, as well as medals and coins, among other projects.
A descendant of painter and intaglio engraver Juan Montaner y Cladera, he began training at the Provincial Academy of the Fine Arts in the Balearic Islands in 1861, where he was a disciple of Guillermo Torres and Francisco Parietti. In 1868, he moved to Madrid to continue studies at the Special School of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving under Federico de Madrazo and Carlos Luis Ribera. He also attended Domingo Martínez Aparici’s engraving classes.
As one of the most renowned and awardwinning engravers of the last third of the nineteenth century, he became administrator of Calcografía Nacional (the national chalcography bureau) in 1872. He held that post until 1898, when he won the contest for Artistic Director of the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (the national mint). In June 1887, he entered Banco de España’s banknote production department as second engraver, becoming first engraver in 1898, when Martínez Aparici retired. One year later, he entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando as an academician with an entry lecture titled: On the Convenience of the Rebirth in Spain of Chalcographic Engraving, also known as Intaglio.
Bartolomé Maura is considered the leading engraver of reproductions. A specialist in chalcographic engraving, he showed a predilection for painting from the Spanish school. He was extraordinarily skilled at capturing the colouring of paintings through the play of light and shadows or the choice of inks and their shades. He also engraved numerous portraits of public figures of his time, as well as medals and coins, among other projects.
A descendant of painter and intaglio engraver Juan Montaner y Cladera, he began training at the Provincial Academy of the Fine Arts in the Balearic Islands in 1861, where he was a disciple of Guillermo Torres and Francisco Parietti. In 1868, he moved to Madrid to continue studies at the Special School of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving under Federico de Madrazo and Carlos Luis Ribera. He also attended Domingo Martínez Aparici’s engraving classes.
As one of the most renowned and awardwinning engravers of the last third of the nineteenth century, he became administrator of Calcografía Nacional (the national chalcography bureau) in 1872. He held that post until 1898, when he won the contest for Artistic Director of the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (the national mint). In June 1887, he entered Banco de España’s banknote production department as second engraver, becoming first engraver in 1898, when Martínez Aparici retired. One year later, he entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando as an academician with an entry lecture titled: On the Convenience of the Rebirth in Spain of Chalcographic Engraving, also known as Intaglio.