VICENTE REQUENA

(1556 / 1605)

VICENTE REQUENA Valencia (1556 / 1605) "Saint Augustine, Doctor of the Church"

Oil on panel. Belonging to an important dynasty of painters, Vicente Requena was one of the most prominent figures of the Valencian school in the last third of the 16th century. His style is heir to the local tradition, with a strong influence from Juan de Juanes and Nicolas Borras. However, in the later years of his career, it was enriched by his knowledge of the Escorial style and the influence of Juan Sariñena. This painting of Saint Augustine is highly representative of his work, characterized by the predominance of a cool color palette, as evidenced here by the blues of the background and the blues and grays of the saint's robes. Also common in his compositions are the placement of distant mountains with highly simplified volumes and blurred outlines, which, derived from models by Joan of Arc, are typical of the Valencian school. In this case, he practically repeats the same background landscape that appears in the panel of Saint Anne, the Virgin and Child in the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia. The face, hair, and beard display a very characteristic loose brushstroke that is evident in most of his works. Dimensions: 95 x 70 cm