Jerónimo Antonio Gil (2 November 1731 Zamora - 18 April 1798, Mexico CityJosé Toribio Medina, Historia de la imprenta en los antiguos dominios españoles de América y Oceanía, Vol.1 online) was a Spanish engraver in the Academic style. He served as administrator of the Mexican Mint and was the founder of the Academia de San Carlos where he specialized in engraving medals and coins.
Biography
He was a student of Tomás Francisco Prieto, Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint, the Royal sculptor, Felipe de Castro, and the painter, Luis González Velázquez, among others. After winning first prize in a painting competition, he was able to receive a pension from the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. In 1760, he was named an Academician of Merit there.
His first major project involved creating punches and matrices for the types of the . This was done in collaboration with the calligrapher, . These designs later served as the basis for the foundry at the . In 1780, they were chosen for a special edition of Don Quixote, published by Joaquín Ibarra.Eduardo Báez Macías, "La gran edición del Quijote de Ibarra (1780). Las estampas grabadas por Jerónimo Antonio Gil, Joaquín Fabregat, Rafael Ximeno y Fernando Selma", in Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, Vol.XXVIII, #88, 2006, pgs.149-167 Online
In 1778, he was named Chief Engraver at the Mexican Mint, where he would be in charge of preparing the dies for printing. This forced him to leave most of his family behind in Madrid. During his time there, he also made numerous medals, including ones depicting the birth of Prince Ferdinand (1784), and the death of King Charles III (1788).Banco de México. "Historia de la medalla en México" He was promoted to Administrator in 1789; a position he held until his death.Felipe Castro Gutiérrez, Jerónimo Antonio Gil y la Real Casa de Moneda de México Online
He was also charged with creating a school of drawing and engraving. The "Royal Academy of the Three Noble Arts of San Carlos" was established in 1781. The classes were taught by Gil, who also served as General Director, and other locally based artists, including the painter José de Alcíbar. In 1787, they were joined by appointees from the San Fernando academy, who would direct the various departments: Ginés Andrés de Aguirre and Cosme de Acuña for painting, José de Arias for sculpture and for architecture.
Almost immediately, they came into conflict with Gil, who they accused of being a despot. Within a year, Arias had died of an unspecified "mental illness" and the other three had written harshly critical letters to Antonio Ponz, Secretary of the academy. Acuña went so far as to threaten suicide if he was not given permission to return to Spain.Genaro Estrada, Obras completas, Siglo XXI Editores, 1988, He was replaced by Rafael Ximeno y Planes, who was able to retain the position until his death in 1825. Gil also wrote a letter, to King Charles IV, complaining about his teachers' poor performance.
In 1791, San Carlos moved out of the mint building into its own classrooms at what was formerly the Hospital del Amor de Dios. Gil's personal art collection was transferred there, becoming the basis for a gallery of painting and sculpture."Neoclásico: La cultura artística en la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII", Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, faculty of engineering.
During this period, in addition to his medals, he painted portraits. He also translated Les proportions du Corps Humain, mesurées selon l´esthétique classique, by Gérard Audran, into Spanish.Eduardo Báez Macías, Jerónimo Antonio Gil y su traducción de Gérard Audran, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2001 He continued to be in charge of the mint and the academy until his death in 1798; apparently without further incident.
References
External links
Jorge Maier Allende, "Jerónimo Antonio Gil", in: Diccionario Biográfico Español, Real Academia de la Historia, Online Works by Gil, digitalized in the of the Biblioteca Nacional de España Brief biography and more works @ the Museo del Prado