Brief Biography-José del Castillo was born in Madrid in 1737. In his early years, the Politician José de Carvajal y Lancaster gave him a scholarship to study in Rome under Corrado Giaquinto. When Giaquinto was called to Madrid by king Ferdinand VI, Castillo accompanied him to resume his studies. He entered the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando before returning to Rome in 1757; he stayed there for seven years. On his return to Madrid, José worked under Anton Raphael Mengsat the Royal Tapestry Factory of Santa Bárbara. In 1785, he became an Academician of Merit at the Academia. He failed to become a Court painter over Ramón Bayeu y Subias, the king’s favourite. His master Giaquinto mainly influenced his style of painting.