Francisco Rizi, or Francisco Ricci de Guevara (1614 – 1685)

• Was a Spanish painter of Italian ancestry.
• He was born in Madrid.
• His father, Antonio Ricci, was an Italian painter, originally from Ancona, who had come to Spain in 1583 to do decorative work at El Escorial.
• His brother, Juan, also became a painter.
• After beginning his apprenticeship in his father's workshop, he studied with Vicente Carducho.
• Thanks to Carducho's influence, he was able to make contacts at the Royal Court in 1634.
• After Carducho's death in 1638, he joined with several other painters to create decorations for the Golden Salon at the Royal Alcázar of Madrid.
• Rizi became one of the earliest painters in Spain to adopt the Baroque style.
• He also maintained close ties to Toledo Cathedral, creating numerous canvases and frescoes.
• In 1653, he was named the official "Painter of the Cathedral", and would retain that position until his death.
• In 1656, he was officially named a "Painter to the King".
• This began a large series of commissions from religious institutions that would keep him occupied throughout the 60s.
• He also opened a workshop where artists such as Claudio Coello received their first training.
• For many of these years, and into the 70s, he was the Director of stage decorations at the theater in Buen Retiro Palace.
• In 1661, he was granted permission to live in the Royal Alcázar. 
• In 1675, the Queen granted him a small pension, but his standing at court never fully recovered.
• He continued in good standing with religious authorities, however.
• In 1685, he received a major commission for a monumental canvas at El Escorial, depicting the "Holy Form".
• He died suddenly while working on it there.
• It was finished by his student, Coello.
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