José Villegas began his apprenticeship with José María Romero, under whose guidance he studied for two years. He then entered the School of Fine Arts, where he was a disciple of Eduardo Cano. At an early age he took his painting "Pequeña filósofa" to the Sevillian Exhibition of 1860, which was sold for 2,000 reales. Around 1867, still in his formative years, he painted two canvases: "Niñas pidiendo limosna", highly praised by the critics, and "Colón en la Rábida", acquired by the Dukes of Montpensier. He then traveled to Madrid, where he went to the studio of Federico de Madrazo. There he befriended Rosales and Fortuny, and studied the masters of the Prado Museum. During this period he copied Velázquez, whose spontaneous style ...