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Lot Essay
Pablo Salinas was born in Madrid in 1871 and in 1886 moved to Rome where he studied at the Chigi Academy and at the International Fine Arts Circle. In Rome Salinas joined a group of Spanish artists drawn to the charismatic circles of Eduardo Rosales and Mariano Fortuny. These two older painters had settled in Rome in 1857 and 1858 respectively; their strong presence led Italian critic Diego Angeli, in Le cronache del Caffè Greco, to comment that, from 1865-1885 the Spaniards were the leaders and arbiters of Roman artistic circles.
Salinas's early work, influenced by the Florentine school, depicted medieval subjects such as Dante and Virgil Meeting Matilda in Purgatory and Romeo and Juliet. Later, Salinas specialized in paintings depicting everyday Italian and Spanish life, which he painted with rich, delicate brushstrokes. As can be seen in the present work, Salinas devoted a great deal of attention to costume detail, especially the robes of the matadors and the lacework in the ladies' dresses. His paintings of weddings, banquets, cardinals, recitals and matadors found particular success among the dealers and collectors in Italy, central Europe, Russia and America.
Salinas's early work, influenced by the Florentine school, depicted medieval subjects such as Dante and Virgil Meeting Matilda in Purgatory and Romeo and Juliet. Later, Salinas specialized in paintings depicting everyday Italian and Spanish life, which he painted with rich, delicate brushstrokes. As can be seen in the present work, Salinas devoted a great deal of attention to costume detail, especially the robes of the matadors and the lacework in the ladies' dresses. His paintings of weddings, banquets, cardinals, recitals and matadors found particular success among the dealers and collectors in Italy, central Europe, Russia and America.