Circle of Esquivel, 19th century

Circle of ANTONIO MARÍA ESQUIVEL Y SUÁREZ DE URBINA (Seville, 1806 - Madrid, 1857).
"Allegory of summer".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Presents restorations and needs restoration.
Measurements: 83 x 62 cm.

In this female portrait the stylistic imprint of Antonio Maria Esquivel is appreciated, so it could have been made by a disciple of the master portraitist. The portrait shows the physiognomy of a lady characterized with verism and detailed brushstrokes, with a miniaturist's pulse. The ears of corn she holds indicate that it is an allegory of summer.
Esquivel was the most representative and prolific painter of Sevillian romanticism, and one of the most outstanding of his time in Spain. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Seville, he was appointed chamber painter in 1843 and member of the Royal Academy of San Fernando in 1847, collaborated with the publications "El siglo XIX" and "El Panorama" and was part of the Artistic and Literary Lyceum. He taught at the San Fernando Academy in Madrid. Although he dealt with very diverse subjects, portraiture is essential in his career. In addition to the artistic merit, his portraits illustrate the society of his time with historical rigor, without neglecting the affective values. He received many commissions for portraits in different formats, and also made several self-portraits, one of which is preserved in the Prado Museum. He is represented in numerous private collections and institutions such as the Prado Museum, the Huesca City Hall, the Lázaro Galdiano Museum in Madrid, the Fine Arts Museum in Seville, the Romantic and Naval Museums in Madrid, the National Library and the Santa Cruz Museum in Toledo, among many others.