RAIMUNDO DE MADRAZO Y GARRETA Rome, Italy (1841) / Versaill

Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower right corner. Bibliography: - VV.AA., "Raimundo de Madrazo (1841-1920)", exhibition catalog, Caja Rural de Jalon, Zaragoza, 1996, p. 17 (reproduced). This beautiful work by Raimundo de Madrazo, created between 1865 and 1870, demonstrates the influence he received from Mariano Fortuny (1838-1874), a painter married to his sister Cecilia. His exquisite attention to detail is evident in the color palette, the lighting, and the brushstrokes, particularly in the texture of the background curtains, patterned with red acanthus leaves, and the shimmering fabric draped with floral motifs that covers the model. The intimate and personal character of this portrait sets it apart from his traditional bourgeois portraits, which reflect a more conventional approach in which the painter sought to emphasize the social status of the subject. The sweetness in the woman's gaze, her relaxed posture with her legs crossed, the bareness of her shoulders, and the fact that she is depicted with one breast exposed are all elements that underscore the personal nature of this painting, undoubtedly distinct from commissioned works created for commercial purposes. Dimensions: 98 x 80 cm.