He was born into a family of merchants and artisans. In 1603, he entered the workshop of El Greco, and remained there until 1606. He initially imitated his teacher's style to the extent that many of his works have been attributed to him and vice versa. After El Greco's son, Jorge Manuel Theotocópuli, Tristán is considered to be his principle follower. He then spent seven years in Italy, returning home around 1613.