Gallego, Fernando

(c. 1440-c. 1507)

   The earliest Castilian painter to have a documented career. According to Antonio Palomino, Gallego was born in Salamanca, Spain. He may have visited the Netherlands and Louvain as denoted by the fact that his style has some affinity to that of Dirk Bouts. Gallego is known for his dramatic depictions of religious scenes, as demonstrated by his Pietà (1470s; Madrid, Prado) and Flagellation (c. 1506; Salamanca, Museo Diocesano). In 1468, he is documented in Plasencia and, in 1473, in Soria. The works he executed for the cathedrals in these two cities are unfortunately no longer extant. Gallego also painted the astrological frescoes on the ceiling of the University of Salamanca's library, one of the earliest astral cycles rendered in Spain.