Calle de Pantoja

Behind the name is Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, born in Valladolid in 1553 and died in Madrid in 1608. He learned the trade in the Madrid workshop of Alonso Sánchez Coello, and when his master died he inherited his most coveted clientele: the royal family. He served as painter to Philip II and, when Philip III came to the throne, became his court painter. His specialty was the court portrait, those pale, solemn faces set against dark backgrounds, with every pearl, every embroidery and every jewel copied with a goldsmith’s patience. More than the person, he painted the etiquette of the Habsburg monarchy. From his hand came the likenesses of Philip II in old age, of Isabel Clara Eugenia and of Queen Margaret of Austria, today divided between the Prado and other museums. A legend about his skill portrays him better than any praise: it is said he painted an eagle so lifelike that a real one flung itself at the canvas, taking it for a rival.