Gómez de los Ríos, Antonio

Gómez de los Ríos, Antonio. ?, early 18th century – mid-18th century. Embroiderer to the Royal Household.

Considered the best and most representative embroiderer at the Madrid Court in the first half of the 18th century, his career is said to have begun in 1729, when he accompanied Philip V on several journeys as a supernumerary draper, although he had already worked for the Crown several years earlier. He was subsequently appointed to the post of chamber embroiderer. He advanced his career within the palace, being granted a daily allowance in 1730, similar to other supernumeraries in different offices. In his early years at Court, he taught embroidery to Charles III of Spain before the latter's departure for Italy in 1731. As an adolescent, the monarch made good use of his learning to purchase some of the most important pieces of the Spanish royal collections, which are still preserved today.

The embroiderer devoted himself exclusively to embroidering for the Princes of Asturias, the future King Ferdinand VI, and Bárbara of Braganza. One of the series woven by him were scenes from Don Quixote, which were very well received and kept him busy from their commissioning in 1733 until 1741. In 1743, Ferdinand VI commissioned him to make the vestments for the Royal Chapel of the Royal Palace of Madrid. These consist of forty pieces, all embroidered with gold and silver thread in the Baroque style and depicting numerous religious passages, inspired by the works of great painters, and make up the most significant work of the period.

Source: Royal Academy of History