Christ with Saints James, Francis and Andrew behind a balustrade

A precocious talent who studied with Pedro de las Cuevas in Madrid, Arias assisted with the painting of the main altar of the Carmelite monastery in Toledo at the tender age of fourteen. Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, also retained the young Arias, Alonso Cano and Francisco Camilo to paint the portraits in the Hall of Kings at the Palacio Real, Madrid. His style is marked by the monumental solemnity of his naturalistic figures, which are executed with precise outlines, angular drapery and predominantly cool tones that recall the works of Juan Bautista Maino.
We are grateful to Guillaume Kientz for proposing the attribution on the basis of photographs.