''The Spanish Wedding'' or ''La Vicaría'' (1868–1870) is a masterwork by Marià Fortuny i Marsal, also known as

Marià Fortuny Marià Josep Maria Bernat Fortuny i Marsal (; es, Mariano José María Bernardo Fortuny y Marsal; June 11, 1838 – November 21, 1874), known more simply as Marià Fortuny or Mariano Fortuny, was the leading Spanish painter of his day, with an ...

or Mariano Fortuny. ''La Vicaría'' exemplifies

genre painting Genre painting (or petit genre), a form of genre art, depicts aspects of everyday life by portraying ordinary people engaged in common activities. One common definition of a genre scene is that it shows figures to whom no identity can be attached ...

of the 19th century. The use of jewel tones, contrasts between light and dark, and the virtuosity of the work attest to Fortuny's talent. It resides at

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (, English: "National Art Museum of Catalonia"), abbreviated as MNAC, is a museum of Catalan visual art located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Situated on Montjuïc hill at the end of Avinguda de la Reina Ma ...

in Barcelona, Spain.

Marià Fortuny

Marià Fortuny (1838–1874), a

Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...

and Spanish artist, was known during the 19th century for his

oil painting Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments with a medium of drying oil as the binder. It has been the most common technique for artistic painting on wood panel or canvas for several centuries, spreading from Europe to the rest of ...

etching Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...

s, and

watercolors Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to t ...

. Fortuny was a master artist of

; these show scenes from everyday life. The subject matter can be from any social class and have historical elements. Fortuny was a prodigy, completing other master works when he was 12 years old. ''The Spanish Wedding'' was completed when he was just 32. It exemplifies the genre style in three ways. First, a wedding is a typical part of life, and was an especially important celebration in 19th century Spain and Catalonia. Second, the painting tells a story, which needs no outside information. Finally, the mixing of historical and contemporary elements is typical of genre paintings.

History

''The Spanish Wedding'' was painted from 1868 to 1870. It was started in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

and completed when the artist moved to Paris. Fortuny's working style is characterized by extensive research. Many test sketches and watercolors survive. These practice works show Fortuny's artistic process. Each sketch becomes more sophisticated, and refines his extensive research, prior to putting brush to canvass. Fortuny was known for using family and friends, as well as professionals, as models for his paintings. In ''The Spanish Wedding'', his wife,

Cecilia de Madrazo Cecilia de Madrazo y Garreta (20 December 1846, in Madrid – August 1932, in Venice) was a noted collector of textiles. She was married to the famous Spanish artist, Marià Fortuny. Biography She was born into a family of artists. Her father, ...

, and sister in law, Isabel de Madrazo, daughters of

Federico de Madrazo Federico de Madrazo y Kuntz (9 February 181510 June 1894) was a Spanish painter. Biography Born in Rome, he was the son of José de Madrazo y Agudo, the painter and former Director of the Prado Museum. Federico's grandfather on his mother side ...

the director of the

Museo del Prado The Prado Museum ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It is widely considered to house one of the world's finest collections of European art, dating from the ...

, modeled for the painting, as well as the artist,

Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier (; 21 February 181531 January 1891) was a French Classicist painter and sculptor famous for his depictions of Napoleon, his armies and military themes. He documented sieges and manoeuvres and was the teacher of Édo ...

. It is believed that ''The Spanish Wedding'' was inspired by a visit to a

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

in Madrid in preparation for his marriage to Cecilia de Madrazo. When the painting was displayed in 1870, it brought Fortuny international praise by both the general public and by the art community. Instead of being shown at the

Paris Salon The Salon (french: Salon), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art ...

, the painting was exhibited at the gallery belonging to Adolph Goupil at No. 9 Rue Chaptral, Paris. Goupil was a major

art dealer An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art, or acts as the intermediary between the buyers and sellers of art. An art dealer in contemporary art typically seeks out various artists to represent, and builds relationshi ...

in the 19th century. ''The Spanish Wedding'' was quickly sold to Adèle Cassin, for 70,000

franc The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' (Style of the French sovereign, King of the Franks) used on early France, ...

s. This was one of the highest prices a painting had commanded to date, excepting Meissonier's ''1814, la Campagne de France'', which sold in 1866 for 85,000 francs. ''The Spanish Wedding'' catapulted Fortuny to international fame and his paintings were in high demand the rest of his career. The painting remained in private hands until 1922. At that time, it was purchased by the Municipal Museum of Barcelona along with the Museum Board of Barcelona. Due to a misunderstanding, it became urgent for the museum to purchase the piece. It was believed the owner was moving to America and taking the painting with him. The Barcelona government decided that it would be best for the art work to come back to Spain and the funds for this endeavor were raised by subscription. It arrived at the museum in 1922 and is now cared for and displayed by

, in Barcelona.

Description and Art Historical Analysis

''The Spanish Wedding'' is a painting of the signing of the

wedding license A marriage license (or marriage licence in English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling) is a document issued, either by a religious organization or state authority, authorizing a couple to marriage, marry. The procedure fo ...

or registry after the marriage ceremony. Weddings and church scenes were a popular subject during the 19th century. ''The Spanish Wedding'' highlights Fortuny's abilities. Central to the action are the bride and groom, surrounded by friends and family. The priest; two gentlemen at the end of the table; and the older couple, on the bench to the right, look on as the groom signs the documents, thereby creating emphasis on the center of the painting. Fortuny's use of color and light illustrates his inspiration by the artist

Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 174616 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, and ...

. The contrast of the dark interior with the light colors of the wedding party contrast sharply, much like the 17th century Dutch masters that Fortuny examined as a student. While the painting was created in 1870, the clothing, like many genre paintings, is inspired by an historical time period. In this case, Fortuny references the 18th century, in the style of the men's clothing, and the women's accessories. The women's dresses follow the silhouette of the late 19th century. Fortuny renders

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...

and

lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...

with exceptional ability. The viewer can almost hear the rustle of fabrics. The painting is decidedly Spanish in inspiration with the inclusion of peinetas on the women, the enormous iron grill work, typical of Spanish churches, and bull fighters. The painting is filled with objects that, some experts say, were from Fortuny's personal collection. The metal heating element in the left corner, known as a

brazier A brazier () is a container used to burn charcoal or other solid fuel for cooking, heating or cultural rituals. It often takes the form of a metal box or bowl with feet. Its elevation helps circulate air, feeding oxygen to the fire. Braziers h ...

, is used in a number of his paintings, and may have been from his extensive personal collection of antiquities. This collection of

antique An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...

s contributed to the research that Fortuny undertook prior to the creation of any of his paintings. The technique, which creates warmth and depth, is called preciosismo. This technique leads to fine brush work, which, when observed closely, looks like dashes and daubs of paint. When the viewer stands back from the painting, it comes together to create a wondrous whole, that is light and airy. This use of color also shows how Goya inspired Fortuny. In Goya's ''

Charles IV of Spain and His Family ''Charles IV of Spain and His Family'' is an oil-on-canvas group portrait painting by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. He began work on the painting in 1800, shortly after he became First Chamber Painter to the royal family, and completed it i ...

'' there is a similar quality of light and color. Art Historians also attribute Fortuny's inspiration to

. Just as Fortuny, and ''The Spanish Wedding'', were influenced by Goya and Meissonier, he also influenced other artists. His brother-in-law,

Raimundo de Madrazo Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta (24 July 1841 – 15 September 1920) was a Spanish painter from the Madrazo family of artists who worked in the Realistic style, although his later work shows signs of Rococo and Japanese influence. He was known pr ...

, borrows heavily from ''The Spanish Wedding'' in his genre painting ''Coming Out of Church''.

Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inclu ...

also was inspired by this work, as were contemporary Spanish artists.

Art historian Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

s believe that had Fortuny lived longer, his work would have grown and influenced artists for many years to come. Unfortunately, due to the revolution in the arts by the

French Impressionists Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open Composition (visual arts), composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating ...

, Fortuny, and other genre artists like him, are largely unknown.

Exhibition history

References

Bibliography

* Beaumont, E. de.; Davillier, C; DuPont-Auberville, A., ''Atelier de Fortuny. Oeuvre poshume. Objects d'Art et de curiosite'', Paris, 1875, p. 5. * Boronat, M.J, ''La politica d'adquisicions de la Junta de Museus'', Barcelona, 1999, p. 532–533, 588–589 and 738–745. * ''Cataleg de Pintura segles XIX i XX. Fons del Museu d'Art Modern'', 2 vol., Barcelona, 1987, I, p. 408–409, cat. num. 897, fig. * ''Catalunya Grafica'', Barcelona, 6/1922, 15, fig. * ''Cataluna en la Espana Moderna 1714–1983'', Madrid, 1983, p. 176, cat. s/num. xhibition catalog * Ciervo, J., (Mariano Fortuny'','' Hojas Selectas'', Barcelona, 2/1920, 218, p.101.'' * ''De Greco a Picasso. Cinc siecles d'art espagnol/1/'', Paris, 1987, fig. p. 26 xhibition catalog * Donate, M.; Mendoza, C.; Quilez, F., ''Fortuny (1838–1874)'', Barcelona, 2003, p. 218–224, fig. p. 21 225, cat. num. 76 xhibition catalog * ''El cami de dotze artistes catalans 1960–1980. Barcelona, Paris, New York'', Barcelona, 1985, p. 16, fig. 4 xhibition catalog * ''Exposicion Fortuny. Catalogo'', Barcelona, 1940, p. 67, cat. num. 223 xhibition catalog * ''Exposition de Peinture Espagnole Moderne sous le haut patronage de la municipalite parisienne'', Paris, 1919, p. 13, cat. num. 101 xhibition catalog * Falgueres, L., (El nou Museu de l'Art Modern a Barcelona), ''D'Aci i D'Alla'', Barcelona, 12/1924, XIV, 84, fig. p. 223 (detail). * Folch, LL., ''El pinto Fortuny, home d'ofici'', Barcelona, 7/1919, III, 7, fig. p. 604. * Folch i Torres, J., ''Fortuny'', Reus, 1962, num. 28, p. 142–145, 151–153 and 167–170. * Fonbona, F., ''Del Neoclassicisme a la Restauracio 1808–1888'', Barcelona, 1983, p. 198, fig. 198-199 (Historia de l'Art Catala, VI). * Fortuny i Madrazo, M., ''Fortuny 1838–1874'', Bologna, 1933, fig. 21, 22 and 23. * Goupil, ''Fortuny'', Paris, 1875, fig. XXVII. * Guasch, F.; Batlle, E., ''Catalogo del Museo de Arte Contemporaneo'', Barcelona, 1926, p. 107, cat. num. 10. * ''Guia del Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya'', Barcelona, 2004, p. 228–229, fig. * Hempel Lipschutz, I., (Legendaire Espagne: myth depeint mythe danse d'un tableau de Mariano Fortuny au dernier Ballet de Theophile Gautier), ''Theophile Gautier en sons temps. Butlletin de la Societe'' * (Homenaje a Mariano Fortuny), ''Mercurio. Revista comercial Ibero-Americana'', Barcelona, 3 June 1920, 360, fig. p. 142. * Jardi, E., ''Cataluna'', Madrid, 1978, fig. p. 147, (Tierras de Espana, II). * Jardi, E., ''Cincuenta anos de luz gas. Barcelona en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX'', Barcelona, 1978, fig. p. 128. * ''La Paraula figurada. La presencia del llibre a les colleccions del MNAC'', Barcelona, 2005, p. 125, cat num. 66 xhibition catalog *(La Vicaría de Fortuny), ''La Publicidad'', Barcelona, 16 May 1922 (edicion mati), 15326. * Mestres, A., ''La Vicaría de Fortuny. Notas historicas'', Barcelona,

927 Year 927 (Roman numerals, CMXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * May 27 – Simeon I of Bulgaria, Simeon I, emperor (''tsar'') of the Fi ...

* Miquel y Badia, F., ''Fortuny su vida y obras. Estudio biografico-critico'', Barcelona, 1887, p. 39–40 and 45. * Miquel i Badia, F., ''El Arte en España. Pintura i Esculturas modernas'', Barcelona, s/a., p. 315–317. * ''Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya''. Mnac & SCALA GROUP S.p.A., 2009. . * (Nostres grabats), ''La Ilustracio Catalana'', Barcelona, 30 November 1880, 15, p. 114. * (Novas), ''La Gramalla'', Barcelona, 11 June 1870, 5, p. 4. * ''Primer Centenario de la Muerte de Fortuny'', Madrid, 1974, s/p., cat. num. 815 xhibition catalog * Riquer, B. de., (Burgesos, politics i cacics a la Catalunya de la Restauracio), ''L'Avenc'', Barcelona, 9/1985, 85, fig. p. 17. * Rossello, V., ''Fortuny. Apuntes Biograficos'', Barcelona, 1874, p. 12. * Sampere i Miquel, Sl, ''Mariano Fortuny. Album'', Barcelona, 1880, p. 52–54, 55 and 60–65, cat. num. 65. * Theophile Gautier'', 1993, II, 15, p.446-480.'' * Valles, E., (De l'Assemblea de parlamenaris al 14 d'abril de 1931), ''Historia Grafica de la Catalunya contemporanea 1888–1931'', Barcelona, 1976, III,fig. p. 347. * Yxart, J., ''Fortuny ensayo biografico-critico'', Barcelona, 1882, p. 94–97.

External links

Museum's website

YouTube: MNAC – Marià Fortuny, ''The Spanish Wedding''

Google Art Project: ''The Spanish Wedding''

Works of the Modern Art Collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spanish Wedding Paintings in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya 1870 paintings Paintings by Marià Fortuny Books in art Marriage in Spain