Juan Peyro Urrea

Weddings in Puig, National Exhibition of Fine Arts, 1887. Photograph in B/N from the Laurent Archive

Juan Peyró Urrea (Villanueva del Grao, 1847-Valencia, 1924) was a Spanish painter of history, traditional scenes and portraits.

After starting architecture studies at the behest of his father, he was a disciple of the painter Francisco Domingo Marqués at the School of Fine Arts in Valencia. In 1867 he went to Rome to continue his studies at the Chigi Academy, coming into contact with Mariano Fortuny. Back in Spain, in 1871, he obtained the third medal at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts for a canvas entitled The music theory lesson , acquired by the Duke of Bailén. A regular at national exhibitions to which he attended with oil paintings of historical motifs such as Alfonso X dictating the Partidas, or costumbristas such as the Weddings in the Puig, in the one of 1876 he was once again awarded a third medal for The expedition to Cantavieja and in 1878 a second medal for the canvas entitled To arms!, acquired by the State from the painter in 1880 for 2000 pesetas destined for the Prado Museum (on deposit at the Malaga Museum).

After a new stay in Rome around 1882, he devoted himself preferably to teaching painting as a professor at the School of Arts and Crafts in Valencia and at the San Carlos Royal Academy of Fine Arts.