(b Benifairó del Valls, Valencia, 1531–2; d Madrid, 8 Aug 1588). Spanish painter. He went to Portugal in about 1541 or 1542 to join his grandfather, who was then in the service of the Portuguese monarchs and who obtained Portuguese titles of nobility. Though there is no documentary evidence, his artistic training probably began in that country. In about 1550 he went, at the expense of King John III, to Flanders, where he was taught by Antonis Mor and came under the protection of Cardinal Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle in Brussels. On his return to Lisbon c. 1552 he entered the service of members of the Portuguese royal family, John III, João Manuel (d 1554) and Joanna of Austria (sister of Philip II of Spain). He remained in Lisbon until 1555, when he entered the service of the widowed Infanta Juana, Regent of Spain, in Valladolid. She recommended him to Philip II on his return to Spain in 1559, and thenceforth Sánchez Coello was closely linked to the Spanish court. The fact that he came from Portugal, probably speaking Portuguese, and also having a surname that is fairly common in that country (Coelho), meant that he was often taken to be Portuguese and he appears as such in some official documents.

• Sánchez Coello, Alonso
  • collaboration
    • Spain, §III, 2: Painting and graphic arts, c 1500–c 1600
  • patrons and collectors
    • Alba: (2) 17th Duque de Alba
    • Argote de Molina, Gonzalo
    • Aviz: (9) Catherine
    • Habsburg, §II: (2) Philip II, King of Spain
    • Habsburg, §II: (3) Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal
    • Hieronymites, §3: Iconography
    • Pernstejn
    • Ribera (i): (4) 3rd Duque de Alcalá
    • Velázquez, Diego, §I, 2: Madrid and first visit to Italy, 1623–31
  • pupils
    • Liaño, Felipe de
    • Pantoja de la Cruz, Juan
  • works
    • Dress, §V, 1(iii): Southern Europe, 16th century
    • Escorial, §3: Decoration
    • Ignatius Loyola
    • Madrid, §II, 1: Art life and organization, before 1700
    • Navarrete, Juan Fernández de
    • Spain, §X, 2: Jewellery