Granada

Martín Rico was one of the first Spanish artists who painted directly from life. Furthermore, his desire to capture reality with utter immediacy led him to produce a large quantity of drawings; and, to a lesser extent, oil sketches. Granada is a study from life made in 1871 during the painter’s stay with Mariano Fortuny and Ricardo de Madrazo in the city. As in other works and drawing sketches, the typical feature of a group of tiny and countless figures in a frieze can be observed. In this case there are 16 figures, captured in vibrant colours and rich, paste-y brushstrokes. This purity of colour as well as the precision and confidence of his pictorial touch are indicative of his change in style during his stay in the Andalusian city, where the author’s most interesting period began.

Barón, Javier, "Granada" en Memoria de actividades 2016, Madrid, Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, 2017, p.94-96