Alonso Berruguete, sculptor, painter, and architect, stands as the representative of this Michael-Angelesque influence, and his work is typical of the manner of his period, especially of the grotesque style which grew out of the Italian, and must be associated with his name. Berruguete was born at Paredes de Nava about the year 1480. He was the son of Pedro Berruguete, the king’s painter, from whom he received his first lessons in art. On his father’s death he went to Italy, where he at once became the pupil of Michael Angelo. Proof of his ability is given by the fact that the Italian master confided to him the copying of the celebrated Pisan cartoon which he had designed for the city. Later Berruguete accompanied Michael Angelo to Rome. He made such progress that Bramanti, following the advice of Raphael, chose him out of many competitors to make a copy of the Laocoön to be cast in bronze. He also completed a St. Jerome by Filippino Lippi. This is all we know of Berruguete’s sojourn in Rome. In 1520 he returned to Spain, when Charles V. appointed him royal sculptor and painter. This position gave him great power. He worked for the emperor at Valladolid and Madrid, and all the great towns of Spain--Toledo, Zaragoza, Salamanca, Granada--competed for his services. In this way his influence was widespread, and all that he had learnt in Italy became known to the native artists. From Michael Angelo Berruguete acquired the power and vigour that distinguishes all his best work, but at the same time he retained his own personality and was faithful to national traditions. It was his Spanish temperament, with its tendency to over-emphasis, and not his imitation of Michael Angelo, which caused the violent attitudes and exaggerated gestures which characterise many of his works. Among the numerous altar-screens which Berruguete carved, either entirely or in part, the most important was that of San Benito el Real at Valladolid, some fragments of which remain in the museum of the city. The choir-stalls of the monastery, also in the museum, which are often mistakenly attributed to Berruguete, were carved by Andres de Najera in 1520, a contemporary sculptor, too little known, if we may judge by the power and beauty of these choir-stalls (Plates 104-111). Carved in wood, they do not appear ever to have been painted. Najera has also left excellent carvings in the Cathedrals of Calahorra and of Santo Domingo de la Calzada.