He moved to Madrid at an early age and enrolled at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, where his instructors were Luis Ferrant [es] and Federico de Madrazo.[1] While there, he also took private lessons in the studios of Antonio Gómez Cros [es]. After 1860, he was a regular participant in the National Exhibition of Fine Arts. In 1864, he won honorable mention for his depiction of an episode from the Esquilache Riots, followed by a third class medal in 1866 for his work "The Grape Harvest".[1]
After 1873, he combined his work as an artist with the role of professor when he became Director of the "Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Valladolid". He was also chosen to be curator of the art collection at the Museo de Valladolid [es] and, the following year, took over as Director of the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes;[2] a position he held until his death. In 1900, he was elected a member of the "Real Academia de Bellas Artes de la Purísima Concepción".[3]
He was also the author of Catálogo provisional del Museo de Pintura y Escultura de Valladolid (1874) and Estudios histórico-artísticos relativos a Valladolid (1898-1901).[1] In addition, he was a contributor to Castilla artística e histórica, a bulletin from the "Sociedad Castellana de Excursiones", established by Narciso Alonso Cortés [es] in 1903. A plaza in Valladolid has been named in his honor.
