He was made first royal architect, painter to
Philip IV, and instructor to the prince,
Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias. The King gave him the church preferment of a canon of the
Granada Cathedral (1652),[1] in order to take up a position as chief architect of the cathedral, where his main achievement in architecture was the façade, designed at the end of his life and erected to his design after his death.[citation needed]
He was notorious for his ungovernable temper; and it is said that once he risked his life by committing the then capital offence of dashing to pieces the statue of a
saint, when in a rage with the purchaser who begrudged the price he demanded.[2][1] According to another story, he found his house robbed after coming home one evening, his wife murdered, and his Italian servant fled. Notwithstanding the presumption against the fugitive, the magistrates condemned Cano, because he was of a jealous temper.[3] Upon this he fled to
Valencia, but afterwards returned to
Madrid, where he was put to the torture, which he endured without incriminating himself, and the king received him into favour.[4]
After the death of his wife he took
Holy Orders[1] as a protection from further prosecution, but still continued his professional pursuits. He died in 1667. In his last moments, when the priest held to him a
crucifix, he told him to take it away because it was badly carved.[5] According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the dying Cano refused the Sacrament from a priest who gave it to
conversos.[1][5] Probably this version is spurious as many others about his life and temperament.[citation needed]
Works
San Vicente Ferrer (praying)
Virgin of the Olive Tree (1629)
Inmaculada del Facistol (1655–1656) in the sacristy of the
Cathedral of Granada.
Virgen of Bethlehem
Bust of Saint Paul
Head of San Juan de Dios
Annunciation
Christ Bound to the Column in the church of the Convento del Stmo. Cristo de la Victoria de
Serradilla (Cáceres).
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "
Alonso Cano". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.