Eduardo Cano

EDUARDO CANO DE LA PEÑA (Madrid, 1823 – Seville, 1897).
“Charity.”
Oil on canvas.
Shows slight signs of restoration.
Signed in the upper right corner.
Measurements: 21.5 x 28 cm; 24.5 x 31 cm (frame).
Eduardo Cano de la Peña specialized in historical subjects, although he also made significant contributions as a portrait painter. In this work, Cano de la Peña depicts Miguel Maraña coming to the aid of a poor man—a common scene for this endearing and charitable figure, who devoted himself to helping the people of Seville in the face of the many calamities that plagued the city at that time. Eduardo Cano was trained in Seville—the city where he had lived since childhood—at the Royal School of the Three Noble Arts. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed a full member of the School of Fine Arts of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, where he also taught. Upon the death of his parents, he returned to Madrid, where he continued his studies under the guidance of José and Federico de Madrazo and Carlos Luis de Ribera. He continued his studies in Paris, from where he sent paintings to the National Exhibitions in Madrid in 1856 and 1857, winning first prizes at both. Cano de la Peña became one of the most renowned historical painters of his generation; upon his return to Seville, he was appointed curator of the Museum of Fine Arts and professor at Santa Isabel, and he contributed to the publications “El Arte en España” and “Museo Universal.” Eduardo Cano de la Peña’s works are currently on display at the Museo del Pardo, the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville, the Museo Romántico in Madrid, and the Senate Palace, among other public and private collections.