THE PIPE SMOKER

RAMíREZ STUDIED AT THE ACADEMY OF SAN FERNANDO IN MADRID AND WAS A PUPIL OF THE POTRAIT PAINTER FEDERICO DA MADRAZO. THE WONDERFULLY OBSERVED EXPRESSION OF THE PIPESMOKER IN THE PRESENT WORK TESTIFIES TO THE LESSONS RAMíREZ LEARNED FROM HIS FIRST TEACHER.

IN 1879 RAMíREZ'S STYLE DEVELOPED A FURTHER FACET WHEN HE RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY IN ROME. HERE HE FREQUENTED THE STUDIO OF THE ORIENTALIST PAINTER, JOSé VILLEGAS (1844-1921), WHOSE FLUID HANDLING INFLUENCED HIM ENORMOUSLY, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF HIS TREATMENT OF LIGHT AND DETAIL.