19th-20th Century Spanish

A painter belonging to the , Bilbao initially combined his studies in Law with artistic training at the studio of the Vega brothers before finally opted for painting.

His restless spirit, his desire to evolve and his need to assimilate the latest movements in art encouraged him to travel to Italy. He visited Venice and Naples, before settling in Rome for three years between 1880 and 1883, where he continued studying together with José Villegas Cordero (1844-1921). Afterwards, he continued travelling, this time to Paris, Tangiers and Tetouan, an experience that introduced a heightened taste for colour into his painting.

In 1893 he was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Seville, and was appointed president of the academy in 1925. Likewise, he was chosen as an academician of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Madrid in 1935.

In 1903 Bilbao took over from José Jiménez Aranda (1837-1903) as professor of decorative composition at the Santa Isabel de Hungría Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Seville, where his pupils included Daniel Vázquez Díaz (1882-1969) and Eugenio Hermoso (1883-1963). During the many periods he spent in Madrid, the city where he died during the Spanish Civil War, he was a regular visitor to the Prado museum, copying works by Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) and Francisco de Goya (1746-1828).

Throughout his career Bilbao received many awards, both in Spain and internationally, including the Grand Cross of the , the Cross of the Order of Alfonso XII, Commander of the Order of Charles III in Spain, the Commander of the in France and Official of the Order of the Crown of Belgium. His work is to be found in many private and public institutions and collections and in museums in Madrid, Seville, Paris and Berlin, among others.