Portrait of Federico de Madrazo Painting

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Madrazo, Raimundo de

Rome, 24/07/1841-Versailles, France, 15/09/1920

Oil on canvas

56 x 38 cm

R. Madrazo (lower right half)

1875

19th century. Last third

05/167

Acquired in 2005

This portrait of Federico de Madrazo Küntz (1815-1894) was painted in Paris by his son Raimundo de Madrazo Garreta. Two extraordinary events that took place in 1874 -his second marriage and the death of his son-in-law, the painter Mariano Fortuny- prompted Federico to move to Paris at the end of January 1875 and remain there until the beginning of March, in order to help his daughter Cecilia. In June of that year Raimundo's only son (Federico, nick-named Coco) was born, and eight days later Eugenia de Ochoa died as a result of the childbirth. Federico returned to Paris to support his son and to attend Coco¿s christening. Raimundo had been living in the city since 1862 and had his workshop in the serre or conservatory owned by the collector Ramón de Errazu (1840-1904), which had become an exhibition gallery and a popular spot for gatherings of artists and collectors; this is where Federico painted the portraits of his children, Cecilia, Isabel, and Raimundo.

In this picture Federico de Madrazo appears immaculately dressed, wearing glasses and seated in front of the easel, sporting the emblem of commander of the French Legion of Honour on the lapel of his frock coat. As one of his father¿s outstanding pupils in this genre, Raimundo was especially devoted to portraiture at this time, which brought him great acclaim and economic profit. [Carlos González López]

Selected bibliography

Larco, Jorge. La Pintura Española Moderna y Contemporánea. Madrid, Madrid, 1964. vol. III, il. 52.
Gómez-Moreno, María Elena. Pintura y escultura españolas del siglo XIX. Madrid, Espasa-Calpe, 1993. p.312.
Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao : guía. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2006. pp. 104-105.
Musée des Beaux Arts de Bilbao : guide. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2006. pp. 104-105.
Bilbao Fine Arts Museum : guide. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2006. pp. 104-105.
De Goya a Gauguin : el siglo XIX en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao [Cat. exp.]. Valencia, Caja Duero, 2006. pp. 150-151, n° cat. 34.
De Goya a Gauguin : el siglo XIX en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao [Cat. exp.]. Salamanca, Caja Duero, 2006. pp. 150-151, n° cat. 34.
Zamacois, Fortuny, Meissonier [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2006. fig. 17.
De Goya a Gauguin : el siglo XIX en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao [Cat. exp.]. Salamanca, Caja Duero, 2007. pp. 150-151, n° cat. 34.
De Goya a Gauguin : el siglo XIX en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2008. pp. 286-288, n° cat. 51.
Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao : guía. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2011. pp. 104-105, n° cat. 72a.
Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa : gida. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2012. pp. 104-105, n° cat. 72a.
Musée des Beaux Arts de Bilbao : guide. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2014. p. 104.
Bilbao Fine Arts Museum : guide. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2014. p. 104.
Adquisiciones 02/07 [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2007. pp. 30-31, n° cat. 6.