Cristóbal Vela (c. 1588-1658) was a Spanish Baroque painter and gilder. Born in Jaén, Spain, various sources such as the art historian Antonio Palomino stated that Vela studied the first principles of painting in Córdoba, Andalusia, under Pablo de Céspedes. He then went to settle in Madrid where he completed his art studies in the school of Vincenzo Carducci (Vincencio Carducho). Some sources also proposed that his artistic education took place in Seville beginning in 1610 so that the Sevillian school influenced his work thereafter. What was documented, however, involved his two commissions with two art dealers in the city, Carlos Atabante and Juan de Quintanilla. For the former, Vela painted 330 canvases of different themes and sizes while the latter required 300 religious paintings, incl