Juan Antonio Benlliure Gil

JUAN ANTONIO BENLLIURE GIL (Pueblo Nuevo del Mar, Valencia, 1860 - Madrid, 1930).
"Costumbrista scene", 1882.
Oil on canvas.
Signed and dated in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 41 × 60.5 cm.; 64 × 84 cm. with frame.

This work, signed and dated in 1882 by Juan Antonio Benlliure y Gil, is an extraordinary exponent of Spanish realist costumbrismo of the late nineteenth century, reflecting the interest of the time to capture the daily life and popular with a dignifying look and free of drama. Framed within the theme of genre painting, the scene transcends the mere rural anecdote to become an anthropological study of leisure and childhood in a humble environment, where the card game acts as the backbone that connects the characters and energizes the composition. Stylistically, Benlliure exhibits a superb technical mastery through a loose, vibrant brushstroke with great impasto, a direct heir to the tradition of the Valencian school and the influence of masters such as Mariano Fortuny. The light, of a dazzling luminous realism, strikes with Mediterranean rawness on the textures of the vernacular architecture, the adobe and the clothing, generating a wise play of hallmarks between the dense shadows of the sheds and the blinding clarity of the background. The chromatic palette, dominated by rich earth tones, ochers and siennas, is masterfully punctuated by notes of pure color -such as the red of the scarf, the sash and the textiles- that guide the viewer's gaze and provide an intense formal vitality. In this way, the author balances with precision the rigor of anatomical drawing and the spontaneity of naturalism, achieving a lyrical atmosphere that elevates a costumbrista print to the category of high academic painting.

Brother of the sculptor Mariano Benlliure and the painter José, Juan Antonio Benlliure began his training with the latter. He later entered the Academy of San Carlos in Valencia, where he furthered his studies and began to stand out as a portrait painter. Like many of the artists of his time, he continued his artistic education in Rome. There he settled with his brother José, and began to paint brightly colored canvases that would bring him renown, as well as a good price. In 1884 he participated in the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madrid, where his canvas "Por la patria!" won him a second medal. In the drawing and coloring of this work he was already beginning to reveal the finesse of execution that would characterize his works in the future. Other Valencian artists also competed in this competition, and Benlliure's success spread not only among the artistic and literary circles, but also among the high social spheres, and he began to receive numerous commissions both in Madrid and in Rome, where he had also begun to frequent the circles of high society. For a brief period of time he lived in the Italian town of Assisi, where he made several watercolors in which he depicted the history and landscape of the city. During these years, the death of King Alfonso XII impressed him greatly, leading him to think of making a painting where the king's final moment was depicted. His friend the Marquis of Togores, Spanish ambassador in Rome, encouraged him to carry out the work, as did his brothers. Benlliure would then start working on "The Last Kiss". Presented in the National of 1887, it was not awarded a prize due to political circumstances, but it became very famous due to its subject matter and the detailed evocation of the scene. In 1904 Benlliure settled permanently in Madrid, where he would achieve great prestige as a portrait painter, especially for his female models. In 1929 he received the silver medal at the Rome Exhibition, and in 1920 he was decorated at the National Exhibition in Madrid. He also exhibited at the Sala de Arte Suarez, where he received a great reception from the public and critics. He is currently represented in the Prado Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Valencia, the Palace of Pedralbes in Barcelona and the Museums of Jaen and Malaga, among others, as well as in numerous private collections.