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Torera: the Spanish Girl who could take on a bull latin art nouveau period oil

ca 1890

About the Item

My analysis of this striking art nouveau period painting evolved as I studied it. Initially, I thought it was simply a portrait of a dashing, stylish, somewhat androgynously dressed girl. "Spanish" had immediately flashed through my mind, althoughI could not say why. As I looked more closely, I realised that what was depicted was possibly a Matador's costume, with a red cloak, large flat hat and lneckerchief. Did this mean the figure was in fact a boy? Well, it turns out that there was actually a tradition of female matadors, or toreras, dating back to the 17th Century: artists such as Francisco de Goya or Gustave Doré chose them as the subject of engravings. From the 18th century onwards , their presence became more frequent. It was mainly the nobles who were most often present, especially at charity festivals. The daughter of the Count of Ribaldavia was famous, as was Doña María de Gaucín, who is said to have abandoned the convent for bullfighting. The first woman to wear the "costume of lights", the traditional male bullfighter's dress was Dolores Sánchez "La Fragosa" in 1886. I have found an image of her, which you will see attached. So, is this young lady a torera? I am not specialist in the subject matter to be certain, but it does strike me as reasonable theory. What is sure is that with his confident brushstrokes and beautiful use of Chiaroscuro, the artist tells us much about the woman's personality. Here we have a strong, modern girl, and if she doesn't bulls, she certainly could! Painted in circa 1900; this strong, modern oil on board is unsigned. It is undoubtedly the work of a French or Spanish master. Measured without the frame, the size of painting is 42cm x 29.5 cm
  • Creation Year:
    ca 1890
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 19.1 in (48.5 cm)Width: 14.18 in (36 cm)Depth: 1.19 in (3 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Norwich, GB
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU991314800952

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