Francesc Rodríguez Pusat

FRANCESC RODRÍGUEZ PUSAT (Barcelona, 1767-1840).
"Samson and Delilah", ca.1800.
Pen and aquatint on laid paper.
It is part of a cycle of the life of Samson of which a couple of copies are preserved in the national collections of Catalonia.
The paper has a slight tear in the margins.
Measurements: 20.5 x 30.5 cm; 24 x 34 cm (passpartout).

This work is part of a series on Samson and Delilah, of which the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya conserves the drawing "Delilah cutting Samson's hair" (Catalog number: 265994-000).

Francesc Rodríguez y Pusat was a Catalan painter born in Barcelona, where he directed the Llotja School from 1808 to 1814. He obtained a pension from the Junta de Comercio thanks to his mythological work "Pentheus is killed at the feast of Bacchus" (named in old catalogs "The Triumph of Bacchus"), which allowed him to travel to Rome between 1790 and 17952 . His refusal to swear allegiance to Joseph I during the French occupation caused him to be separated from teaching from 1808-1814.1 The Academy of San Luis de Zaragoza had named him an individual of merit on April 18, 1819, in view of a canvas of the Death of Abel, which he had presented to that corporation. He returned as director of the Escuela de la Lonja from 1821 to 1840, a period in which he had to lead the rescue of the works of art damaged during the burning of convents in 1835. Some works remain, copies of classical paintings and portraits. Among the collection of the Academy of Fine Arts of San Jorge, his magnificent Self-Portrait (1805) stands out, as well as the portraits of the intendants Francisco Oteiza (1816)5 , Juan Bautista de Erro y Azpiroz (c.1820), Vicente de Frígola (1825)7 , Domingo María de Barrafón y Viñals (1830)8 and Pedro de Alcántara Díaz de Labandero (c.1833), the paintings of Penteo de Erro y Azpiroz (c.1833), the portraits of Penteo de Oteiza (c.1833), and the paintings of Penteo de Erro y Azpiroz (c.1833).), the paintings Pentheus is killed at the feast of Bacchus (1789) and St. John of the Desert (a.1833) , as well as copies of The Vision of St. Bernard (1814)11 by Placido Costanzi, The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple (1721?)12 by Raphael Sanzio and The Magdalene Pentient (1791?)13 by Annibale Carracci.

6 and in Pavilion 2: "Man and the Desert" of the Desert Museum of Saltillo (Mexico) is exhibited the work Conquistadore (S/F) which portrays an anonymous Spanish conquistador. The works Portrait of Anton Ravella y Ordóñez (1797)17 18 and Festival of Ceres and Stoning of a Saint (S/F)19 , as well as the drawings Jacob and Rachel at the Well/Sanson tearing down the temple of Dagon (S/F)20 , Samson helps the Philistines at the siege of Dam/Fernando El Católico receives the keys of Granada (S/F)21 and Cephalus and Procris/Esaú sells Jacob his birthright for a plate of lentils (S/F)22 are in private hands.

Manuel Ossorio y Bernard (1883-1884) mentioned that the Provincial Museum of Barcelona conserved in his hand the following works: St. Sebastian and Hagar Farewell by Abraham (copies of Guercino), The Virgin and St. Bernard (copy of Maratta), The Magdalene (copy of A. Caracci), San Juan Bautista, Sacrificio de Gedeon, Heliodoro arrojado del templo, and the portraits of the intendants Francisco Oteiza, José de Ansa, Juan Bautista del Erro, Domingo M. Barrajen (Domingo María de Barrafón y Viñals), Pedro Díaz de Labandero and Vicente de Frígola,23 Of these only the work Abraham echa de casa a Agar (S/N) by Guercino remains missing.