José Marcelo Contreras y Muñoz was active in the second half of the nineteenth century, when he worked as a painter in many cities around Spain, especially in Andalusia, Madrid and the Eastern seaboard. He specialised in historical scenes, though he also worked in other genres, particularly portraits. He was trained at the Academy of the Noble Arts in his home city of Granada, where he showed such precocious talent that he completed the course and was made honorary deputy director of the academy at the age of just sixteen. In 1847, at the age of twenty, he travelled to Madrid to enrol at the Royal Academy of San Fernando. There, he studied under Federico de Madrazo, who is the main reference point for understanding his work as a portrait artist. From 1854 to 1862 he worked in Andalusia. First he was Director of the Provincial Museum in Cordoba, and later he was appointed to the Chair of Colour and Composition in Cadiz. This marked the start of his work as a teacher, which was to occupy much of his time and mark his subsequent career. Just a year later he moved to take up the same Chair in Valencia. There, he cooperated on the decorating of the palazzo of the Marquis of Dos Aguas, one of the biggest decoration projects in the city at that time. In 1865 he painted Aurora, which hangs in the room known as the Salón Pompeyano. Following the death of his wife that same year, he moved to Madrid, where he lived for the rest of his life.
His name crops up frequently as a participant in national exhibitions and major decoration projects. His liking for historical and allegorical themes and his expertise as a portrait artist contributed to his success in such ventures. In 1861 he won Second Prize in the National Exhibition of Fine Arts for his Murillo’s Fall from the Scaffolding, which combined several of his main areas of interest: a historical scene, ‘costumbrist’ elements and the figure of Murillo. Contreras was actually a devoted copyist of Murillo's work. Three years later he won his second gold medal for The Doubt of St Peter (now held at the Prado in Madrid), a monumental work that shows his knowledge of the aesthetics of the Nazarenes. It is one of the best examples of the other area of historical painting that he cultivated: religious scenes. A few years later he painted Eve of 3 May in Madrid (held at the History Museum of Madrid), one of his best known works. At the same time he worked on major decoration projects. He created theatre curtains and was one of those responsible for painting the mural at the National School of Music. He was also one of the painters who produced works for the church of San Francisco el Grande in Madrid, with his Glorification of the Virgin.
His brother Rafael Contreras was a major figure in Spanish national heritage conservation who conducted studies and restoration work at the Alhambra.
José Marcelo Contreras y Muñoz was active in the second half of the nineteenth century, when he worked as a painter in many cities around Spain, especially in Andalusia, Madrid and the Eastern seaboard. He specialised in historical scenes, though he also worked in other genres, particularly portraits. He was trained at the Academy of the Noble Arts in his home city of Granada, where he showed such precocious talent that he completed the course and was made honorary deputy director of the academy at the age of just sixteen. In 1847, at the age of twenty, he travelled to Madrid to enrol at the Royal Academy of San Fernando. There, he studied under Federico de Madrazo, who is the main reference point for understanding his work as a portrait artist. From 1854 to 1862 he worked in Andalusia. First he was Director of the Provincial Museum in Cordoba, and later he was appointed to the Chair of Colour and Composition in Cadiz. This marked the start of his work as a teacher, which was to occupy much of his time and mark his subsequent career. Just a year later he moved to take up the same Chair in Valencia. There, he cooperated on the decorating of the palazzo of the Marquis of Dos Aguas, one of the biggest decoration projects in the city at that time. In 1865 he painted Aurora, which hangs in the room known as the Salón Pompeyano. Following the death of his wife that same year, he moved to Madrid, where he lived for the rest of his life.
His name crops up frequently as a participant in national exhibitions and major decoration projects. His liking for historical and allegorical themes and his expertise as a portrait artist contributed to his success in such ventures. In 1861 he won Second Prize in the National Exhibition of Fine Arts for his Murillo’s Fall from the Scaffolding, which combined several of his main areas of interest: a historical scene, ‘costumbrist’ elements and the figure of Murillo. Contreras was actually a devoted copyist of Murillo's work. Three years later he won his second gold medal for The Doubt of St Peter (now held at the Prado in Madrid), a monumental work that shows his knowledge of the aesthetics of the Nazarenes. It is one of the best examples of the other area of historical painting that he cultivated: religious scenes. A few years later he painted Eve of 3 May in Madrid (held at the History Museum of Madrid), one of his best known works. At the same time he worked on major decoration projects. He created theatre curtains and was one of those responsible for painting the mural at the National School of Music. He was also one of the painters who produced works for the church of San Francisco el Grande in Madrid, with his Glorification of the Virgin.
His brother Rafael Contreras was a major figure in Spanish national heritage conservation who conducted studies and restoration work at the Alhambra.