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The nude young woman sits on a white cloth with which she covers her lap. The artist paints her in profile and avoids showing her face. This is one of many nude studies made by this artist, and it may well be the most lauded of them all. Several of its characteristic aspects have been praised for their exquisite mastery, including the rich palette —especially the greens, which vary rhythmically— t
A panoramic view of the Agujas mountain range near Corbera (Valencia). Encouraged by the realism that Europe was bringing to the fore through landscape painters like Carlos de Haes, this work was a clear catalyst for change in Spanish landscape painting. The vivid colors, with intense blues and mauves is, however, a personal characteristic of Muñoz. Here, he eschewed adding human figures to
Simonet´s work is based on a passage from the Gospel of Saint Luke (19: 41) which prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem: “Videns Jesus civitatem flevit super illam” (And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it). Simonet focuses on conveying Christ?s most human aspect, while his intention to offer a realistic depiction led him to travel to Palestine to see the actual Biblical
Since the moment when it was decided that the present work is by Raphael but that the sitter is not Antonio Granvela, art historians have expended considerable efforts on identifying the sitter.The most credible candidates would seem to be Cardinal Bendinello Suardi (painted by Del Piombo,Washington, National Gallery of Art), and even more probably Cardinal Giovanni Alidosi (depicted on a medal an
Rosales depicts the moment when the Catholic Queen dictates her last will and testament at Medina del Campo on 12 October 1504, just days before she died. Isabel stands out in a royal chamber almost in darkness, in a canopy bed, with a medal of the Order of Saint James on her bosom. The white sheets contrast with the muted colors of the other personages. The only note of color is the red robe of a
This emblematic picture is undoubtedly the best-known work on a social theme produced by Sorolla in his youth. It is also an especially good example of how fully the artist became involved in a genre which, at the time, was of particular relevance in Madrid’s official artistic circles, where Sorolla was determined to receive his first public recognition. The depth of its meaning is probably indica
Representative of Sorolla’s fully mature period, this work is also one of the finest female portraits he ever executed. The artist knew the sitter very well, as she was the wife of one of his closest friends, whose portrait he would, in turn, paint the following year. The amiable frankness with which they related to each other, expressed by the artist in his dedication, and his recognition of the
Titian painted his first self-portrait before leaving for Rome in 1545. However, it was after his Roman stay that he showed the most interest in disseminating his image in order to fully establish his position in a context of intense rivalry with Michelangelo. In 1549 Paolo Giovio acquired a self-portrait by the artist for his Museo in Como, while in 1550 the painter had another one sent to Charle
This portrait signed by Lucia Anguissola is acknowledged as the most important of the few works produced by Sofonisba’s younger sister. In keeping with Lombard painting of the period, she depicts this bald, bearded, ageing gentleman in the immediate foreground, seated in an armchair and turning slightly to gaze inquisitively at the spectator. He is dressed in a roomy gown with puffed sleeves taper
The Virgin and Saint John are depicted on a sailboat, crossing tranquil seas on their way to Ephesis. The somber and distracted expressions on both their faces indicate they are lost in thought. The helmsman dozes in the stern, so the boat is guided by angels. This subject is inspired in religious literature concerning the mother off Christ, which tried to cover the episodes following the Savior´s
This work was painted at a very important moment in Rico’s career, a period spent in direct contact with Fortuny in Granada in 1871 and 1872. He move there towards the end of 1870, but he was already familiar with that city from a stay in 1857 while painting in Sierra Nevada. On November 18 of that year, Fortuny wrote a letter inviting Rico to join him and his brother-in-law, Ricardo de Madrazo. A
The painting, which is now in the collection of Museo Nacional del Prado and on long-term loan to the City Council of Cádiz, is signed “Luna = Paris 1888”. It was completed by the time Luna moved to Paris, after winning a First Class medal for Spoliarium in 1884. It was commissioned by the Overseas Ministry and would be exhibited in the Barcelona Universal Exposition. The figure of Spain we
A painter and teacher, Fernanda Francés enjoyed success and public recognition in the Spain of the Restoration. Specialising in flower painting and still lifes, and supported by clear critical acclaim, she won a second-class medal for this work at the 1890 National Exhibition. The profound realism of her art attracted a broad private clientele who kept her works in demand for several decade
In the work the corpses of two castaways are represented, the youngest with his chest exposed. Both lie between the nets and tackle that are scattered on the bottom of a boat guided by a sailor in the middle of the sea. For the realization of this painting, Barbara made several excursions to the coastal towns, neighboring Rome. The painting was highly praised by the critics of its time, where they
At the National Exhibition of 1892, history painting was definitively superseded by social realism. This was largely due to the prestige of this picture, which won the first medal in Madrid after previously obtaining the same distinction at the 1889 Universal Exhibition in Paris. Directly influenced by Jules Bastien-Lepage, Jiménez Aranda paints an attractive naturalist scene with no trace
Fillol presents an uncompromising image of female prostitution that denounces human exploitation and the personal degradation of the victim. Although critics recognised the painting’s audacity and praised its naturalism, the academic prize awarded to Fillol – the second medal at the 1897 National Exhibition – was not accompanied by any financial reward, and the work was indeed not bought until 191
Educated as a young man in France and Florence, in 1527 Pier Maria Rossi (1504-1547), Seventh Count of San Secondo, was in the service of Clement VII but that same year entered the employment of Charles V. Vasari recounts that Parmigianino (to whom this work has been unanimously attributed following its restoration) escaped from Parma to San Secondo in around 1538 in order to avoid problems relati
Originally from Asturias, Julia Alcayde was trained in Madrid, where she specialised in still lifes and pictures of flowers and game, though she also worked in other genres. This still life with the fruits laid directly on the ground, as often found in her mature compositions, won a second-class medal at the 1912 National Exhibition. Despite this, it was not acquired by the State, which also faile
