Early life in Peru

Ignacio Merino Muñoz was born on January 30, 1817 in Piura, Peru. His mother Doña Micaela María Muñoz, was from a wealthy aristocratic family in Trujillo, descending from maternal ancestry in both Spanish and Peruvian nobility. His father, Don José Clemente Merino, was a judge, district administrator and military commander.^[3] As a toddler on the beach, Muñoz would draw the contour outline of sailing ships in the sand, exhibiting skill in observational drawing.^[3] By the age of four, he was creating fine art on paper and seemed absorbed in its process, which impressed his mother; she expressed hope that Muñoz would be the first Peruvian fine artist.^[3]

First trip to Paris

Circa 1827, shortly after reaching 6 years of age, his parents allowed Muñoz to travel to Paris for an arts education, though they chose not to accompany him.^[3] There, Muñoz attended high school, earned his bachelor's degree in law, and pursued his art career.^[3] In Paris, Muñoz studied under French painters Raymond Monvoisin and Paul Delaroche, who inspired his interest in history painting. As a result of Delaroche's influence, Muñoz focused on themes from European history, whereas his Peruvian-themed paintings were generally in the costumbrista category.^[4]

Educating in Peru

In 1838, Muñoz returned to Peru at 20 years of age, also having studied in Italy and Spain.^[3] Upon his return, he established a school of lithography and a school of drawing and paint.^[3] He became Assistant Director, then Director of the "Academy of Drawing and Painting," founded by José Fernando de Abascal, where he taught or otherwise influenced the careers of other prominent painters, such as Luis Montero, Francisco Masías and Francisco Laso.^[5]

During the 1840s, he created a series of portraits devoted to Peruvian saints, including Rose of Lima and Martín de Porres.

Two portraits of Merino, both made by Peruvian artists c. 1854; left by Luis Montero, right by Francisco Laso

Return to Paris

In 1850, he had an opportunity to study with Eugène Delacroix, and returned to Paris. He would remain there for the rest of his life. It is said that an exhibition of his costumbrista paintings served as the inspiration for Martin Paz, an adventure story by Jules Verne, which was set in Lima.^[6] Upon returning to Paris, he produced 92 wood engravings for a luxury 1854 edition of Esteban Terralla y Landa's 1797 satire Lima por dentro y fuera, collaborating with Parisian printer A. Mézin and draftsman A. Jourdain.^[7] Many of these engravings, including landscapes, portraits, and popular scenes, served as studies for later canvases of costumbrista themes.^[7]

It was there he created his best-known painting, Colón ante los doctores en Salamanca, which was purchased by the government of President José Balta after winning a third-place medal at the "Exposition des Beaux-Arts". He was also inspired by European literature and created works based on the writings of Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott and Miguel de Cervantes.^[5]