16th Century Spanish

A Spanish Renaissance artist from the first third of the 16th century, Soreda worked largely in the area of Sigüenza, Valladolid and Burgo de Osma, where he died in late 1536 or early 1537. Some writers, like Francisco Javier Ramos Gómez, have considered him as a link between the generation of Pedro Berruguete (ca. 1450-1503), Juan de Flandes (active from 1496 to 1519) and Paolo da San Leocadio (1447-1520), and the generation of Alonso Berruguete (1488-1561), Pedro Machuca (ca. 1490-1550), Vicente Maçip (ca. 1475-1550) and Pedro Fernández (1489-1523). His output is marked by the influences of the late Quattrocento and the high Italian Renaissance.

Dating from 1506 the first news about this artist is related with the now-vanished altarpiece of Sienes (Guadalajara). In 1507 he received the first payments for the panels of the main altarpiece of Luzón (Guadalajara), some of which were later preserved at the church of Torremocha del Pinar (Guadalajara). This work continued until 1510, but he did not receive the final settlement until 1512, issued to the name of his assistant, Pedro de la Puente, to whom the panel Circuncisión has been attributed. Some researchers view this fact as evidence of the existence of a workshop of certain renown led by the artist. Years later, from 1526 to 1528, he carried out other projects in the town of Sigüenza, including an altarpiece in the cathedral devoted to Saint Wilgefortis, one of his most outstanding works. This artist is also attributed with the altarpiece of the parish church of San Pelayo in Olivares de Duero (Valladolid), in which some members of his workshop are likely to have intervened.

Other noteworthy works are Las sibilas, at the church of La Trinidad in Atienza, plus two panels of identical subject matter, Virgen con el Niño, at Museo Catedralicio in Burgo de Osma and at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Dijon, as well as a predella belonging to the Museo Lázaro Galdiano.