Francisco Ortego y Vereda was a Spanish academic painter, caricaturist
and illustrator, born in Madrid in 1833 and died in Bois-Colombes in
France. He studied at the School of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid
and later lived a long time in Barcelona.

With a large family, Ortego's economic situation was difficult. Attached
 to his republican and liberal political views, he hesitantly relocated,
 in 1871 to France in order to improve his future, remaining there until
 the end of his life. He published in various satirical newspapers in
Paris. At the time of his death, the Editorial Gaspar Roig prepared an
edition which was published in Madrid titled Album Ortego, with a
collection of his drawings, with an introduction by Josep Lluís Pellicer
 in order to financially assist the widow and children.