• José María passionately crafts religious pieces
• For him, each piece is a manifestation of faith
• Seville has been fundamental to his work

Trained at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Royal Academy of Santa Isabel de Hungría, José María Leal has been creating works since the early 2000s. His pieces reflect the devotion and spirituality of his religious faith. For him, his work is a celebration of his Catholic and Christian heritage. "I had always dreamed of being an 'imaginero' sculptor since childhood. I admire the great friendship of my grandfather with the imaginero D. Francisco Buiza, whom he operated on after a motorcycle accident," says José María. "This, coupled with the fact that my grandfather was a great art collector, allowed me to learn to love various types of sculpture since my childhood." Seville, the city where he was born, has been a key element in his vocation. "It is a city that has preserved for five centuries the tradition of polychrome imagery, which remains a unique mark in the world. My city is a great reference in terms of the production of sacred sculpture."