Andres Marzo

ANDRÉS MARZO (Calatayud?, c. 1605-Valencia, c. 1671).
"Pair of architectural caprices with the scenes of the Rape of the Sabine Women and the Martyrdom of St. Lawrence."
Pair of oil paintings on canvas.
One of them (the one of the Sabines) signed (under the niche).
Work referenced and reproduced in: Marco García, Víctor. Baroque painting in Valencia [1600-1730]. Centro de Estudios Europa Hispánica. Madrid 2021.Pg. 205, 206, 411, 412. Fig 87 cat nº 1 cat nº 5.
Measurements: 123 cm x 184 cm (each); 102 x 194 x 6 cm (frames).

This pair of oil paintings on canvas, "The Rape of the Sabine Women" and "The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence", besides being brilliant in themselves, represent a turning point in the knowledge of the work of the Valencian painter Andrés Marzo. As historian Víctor Marco points out, their appearance in the trade in 2019 revealed a facet of the artist unknown until then, distancing him from the exclusive tenebrist influence of the Ribalta school and placing him as a versatile painter and connoisseur of the most modern currents of the European Baroque.

Both works belong to the genre of "architectural caprice": compositions that use monumental architectures, often fantastic and not based on real places. That is, grandiose settings to develop a historical, mythological or religious scene. In the pair of canvases in tender, the architecture is not a mere background, but assumes special prominence for its theatrical magnificence that dwarfs the human figures. The latter, however, are numerous and build within the painting an infinite number of anecdotes.

"The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence" stands out for its complex open composition and dramatic depth. March creates a vast square flanked by imposing classical buildings. To the right, a sumptuous palace with an upper loggia, Corinthian columns, detailed cornices and niches occupied by sculptures dominates the scene. In the palace loggia, a figure of authority, probably the Roman prefect, presides over the execution from on high, symbolizing earthly power. To the left, another arcaded structure is lost in the distance, guiding the viewer's gaze through a long diagonal perspective.

The story of St. Lawrence's martyrdom unfolds on different planes. On one side of the square the torment scene unfolds. Half-naked bodies and soldiers create a focus of action that culminates with the figure of the saint suffering his torture. The narrative is juicy and anecdotal: a child talks to his dog, pointing to the executioner, an old man walks away from the scene in fear, a servant carries a bundle of wood to light the fire of martyrdom.... Crossing the cloudy sky, an angel descends in a break of glory. He carries the palm of martyrdom and the laurel wreath of victory, alluding to the heavenly reward for earthly suffering. This is a typical Baroque device to connect the human and the divine.

The work demonstrates a mastery of perspective and an ability to organize a complex space full of figures. It shows the influence of Italian painters specialized in this genre, such as Viviano Codazzi, or even of Flemish engravings of fantastic architectures.

In the second oil painting, "The Rape of the Sabine Women", Marzo changes the exterior setting for an overwhelming and solemn interior, creating a powerful contrast between the order of the architecture and the chaos of human action. The scene takes place inside a monumental Roman-inspired temple or atrium. A central niche houses a statue of the goddess Flora. An imposing barrel vault surrounds the nave, and rises on semicircular arches supported by sturdy pillars. The entire space is decorated with reliefs, busts and classical sculptures, creating an atmosphere of timeless severity and grandeur. The color palette of the architecture is almost monochromatic, grisaille-like, imitating stone, which makes the figures, dressed in more vivid colors, stand out strongly.

At the center of this solemn architecture, chaos erupts. True to the story of Titus Livy, the Roman soldiers, dressed in armor and helmets, pounce on the Sabine women. The foreground is dominated by violence and movement. March composes the scene with groups of intertwined figures in full fight. A soldier in the center lifts up a resisting woman, while around him other figures fall, flee or are dragged away. The dynamism of the bodies contrasts violently with the symmetry and stillness of the architectural frame. The genius of the composition lies in this visual and conceptual clash: the order of classical Roman architecture is invaded by the unleashed violence of its own founders.

In conclusion, this pair of canvases is fundamental to reevaluate Andres Marzo. They show that he was not only a follower of the local tradition, but a cultured artist, innovative and permeable to international influences. His mastery in the genre of "architectural caprice" places him as a much more complex and sophisticated figure within the panorama of 17th century Valencian Baroque painting. These works are a testament to his ability to construct monumental scenographic spaces and fill them with narrative drama.

Andrés Marzo was a Spanish Baroque painter active in Valencia. He was traditionally considered a disciple of Francisco Ribalta, a theory that gained strength when it was discovered that his mother, Mariana de la Serna, remarried Juan Ribalta, Francisco's son. This made him Juan's stepson and heir, which facilitated his training in the family workshop. His only known signed work for a long time was the drawing for the frontispiece of the Solenes festivities, held in Valencia, to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (1663). This complex composition, with an earthly and a heavenly register, shows Pope Alexander VII delivering the bull of the Immaculate Conception to the Spanish ambassador, with Philip IV and the jurors of Valencia present, and the Immaculate surrounded by angels at the top. There are two preparatory drawings of this work in the Prado Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia. Although other works were attributed to him, such as a San Antonio de Padua in the church of Santa Catalina and another in the parish of Santa Cruz, as well as a San Pascual Bailón, none of them have been preserved. Nor have the paintings documented for the communion chapels of the churches of San Nicolás (1641) and Santo Tomás (1658), which included an altarpiece, the story of Samson and the Holy Spirit, reached our days. Marzo also carried out gilding works in several churches in Valencia and Ruzafa. Archival documentation has provided further details of his life, including that his father was Pedro Março, a physician from Calatayud. It is known that he was married to Merina Conca and had a son, Blas Março, who was also a painter before becoming a cleric.