Biography

He was the official silversmith of Ávila Cathedral between 1555 and 1562. During that time, his work must have mainly consisted of maintaining and cleaning the cathedral's treasure.  In this task a task stands out his intervention on the processional monstrance in 1557. There are few references to him, and the number of works that have been preserved is also limited.

Juan was possibly the brother of two other silversmiths from Ávila who left important works throughout the province during the middle decades of the 16th century, Domingo and Alejo Martínez, whose marks and professional activities are well documented, so there is no confusion regarding the attribution of the cross in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. His work moved between the Gothic heritage and the incorporation of a Renaissance decorative and structural lexicon.

According to Lorenzo Martín and Fernando Gutiérrez (2003, p. 41), he may have travelled to Italy. This could have happened after 1562, when his name disappears from the cathedral's records.