Federico Jiménez Fernández

FEDERICO JIMÉNEZ FERNÁNDEZ (Madrid, 1841-Huesca, 1931)
"Chicks".
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 33.5 x 46.5 cm; 38 x 51 cm (frame).
It was frequent in the painting of Federico Jimenez this type of scenes starring animals in particular birds, which are used by the artist to show feelings and human attitudes.
Federico Jiménez Fernández studied at the Special School of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving of San Fernando in Madrid, where he was a disciple of Carlos de Haes. He then went to Paris in order to further his education. He specialized in the painting of domestic animals and poultry, a genre little developed in Spain of which are good examples "The Judgment of Paris" and "Two hares and a partridge dead" (Museo del Prado). He also cultivated the portrait, highlighting the "Don Agustín Argüelles" (Ateneo de Madrid). He participated assiduously in the National Exhibitions of Fine Arts, being distinguished with honorable mention in 1858 and 1860, third medal in 1862 for a canvas entitled "A painting with dead game", and decoration in the editions of 1878 and 1895. He was also awarded a silver medal at the International Exhibition of Bayonne in 1864, and the art medal at the Vienna Exhibition of 1873 for "Sálvese el que pueda", a work that was shown the following year at the Silver Exhibition of Martinez and acquired by the Government, destined for the Museum of Murcia. In the National Exhibition of 1878 he showed the works "Un tibor japonés, frutos y animales", "Sobresalto de madre" and "Una escena en la cocina", works that would also appear in the Universal Exhibition of Paris. Likewise, in the National Exhibition of 1881 he exhibited "The Eagle and the Beetle", "Will it enter?" and "Henhouse", the latter work which earned him a commission from Charles III. His brother, José, was also an outstanding painter. Federico Jiménez Fernández is currently represented in the Prado Museum, the Municipal Museums of Játiva and Málaga, the Nelson Zúmel Collection of the Provincial Museum of Lugo, the National Museum of Fine Arts of Buenos Aires, the Ministries of Culture and Industry, the Spanish Embassies in London and Vienna, the City Hall of La Coruña, the Museum of Zaragoza and the General Directorate of the Police in Madrid, as well as in various private collections.