Ventura Álvarez Sala

Buenaventura Álvarez Sala Vigil (5 July 1869, Gijón - 5 March 1919, Gijón) was a Spanish painter and illustrator; known for portraits and genre scenes, many involving maritime subjects.

Biography He began his studies at the local drawing school and as an apprentice in the workshops of Dionisio Canal, a decorative painter. In 1890, he moved to Madrid, where he supported himself by making charcoal sketches on demand. Later, he studied with Manuel Ojeda and José Jiménez Aranda at the Escuela Especial de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado, a satellite school of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.

He submitted paintings on Asturian subjects in 1906, 1908, when "Emigrants" was awarded a Second Class prize, 1910, 1912 and 1915, when he finally achieved a First Class prize for "Our Daily Bread".

In addition to his prize-winning works, he is known for portraits that show the influence of Diego Velázquez, and some landscapes. His works may be seen at the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias and the in Gijón.