An Ecclesiastic, ca. 1874

Signed Fortuny/74
An Ecclesiastic, ca. 1874
oil on panel/huile sur panneau
7 1/2 x 5 1/8 in. (19 x 13 cm)
Spanish Orientalist

The cosmopolitan Catalan painter visited Paris and London and worked at Portici near Naples during the last year of his life. Fortuny y Marsal's late works reflect an interest in light, a distinctive use of color, and an awareness of current international trends, including the influence of Japanese art on the West. Fortuny y Marsal worked closely with colleagues in Spain, France, and Italy. Not only was he a brilliant technician, but he proved to be remarkably receptive to progressive trends. This expressive image of an ecclesiastic in rose-colored robes posed against a vermilion background, demonstrates Fortuny y Marsal's audacious use of color. Source: The Walters Art Museum