Pieter de Kempeneer (1503–1586)

• Called Pedro de Campaña.
• Was a Flemish painter.
• His name was Pieter de Kempeneer, translated into French as Champaigne, and was also known as Peter van de Velde.  

• Born in Brussels, he trained there with Bernard Van Orley.

• His early life appears to have been spent in Italy.

• In 1530 he was at work at some scene-painting, representing a triumphal arch to be erected on the occasion of the coronation of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in Bologna.

• Then left for Spain, on the advice, it is said, of Cardinal Domenico Grimani, and spent the rest of his life in that country.

• Between 1537 and 1562 he was associated with Luis de Vargas and the Italian sculptor Torregiano in establishing a school of painting in Seville.

• One of his last works was the restoration and repainting of a chapel belonging to Hernando de Jaen.

• Bartolomé Esteban Murillo requested that he be buried near Campaña's picture, and his burial took place in the Church of Santa Cruz, close underneath the Descent from the Cross.

• Next