Eduardo León Garrido

EDUARDO LEÓN GARRIDO (Madrid, 1856 – Caen, France, 1949).
"Lady."
Oil on panel.
Signed in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 61 x 50 cm; 80 x 70 cm (frame).

Eduardo León Garrido began his training in Madrid at the Escuela Superior de Pintura and in the studio of Vicente Palmaroli, whom he always considered his sole teacher. A genre painter, he specialized in scenes of dancing in Rococo salons and also distinguished himself as a master of female portraiture. After failing to secure a scholarship to study in Rome, he traveled there on his own with his teacher Palmaroli, and later to Paris. In 1875, King Alfonso XII acquired one of his paintings, and that same year he received a grant from the Madrid Provincial Council to study in the French capital, where he completed his training in Raimundo de Madrazo’s studio. The following year, he participated for the first time in the Paris Salon, where he presented a “Saint Jerome.” He soon caught the attention of the most prominent art dealer of the time, Adolphe Goupil, for whom he would work for several years. Beginning in 1876, Garrido held solo exhibitions of his works in Parisian galleries such as Borniche, showcasing portraits and contemporary scenes. During this period, he also made numerous trips to Venice, accompanied by the Madrazo family, Fortuny, and Martín Rico. He regularly participated in the Paris Salons, as well as in the National Fine Arts Exhibitions in Madrid and the International Exhibitions in London and Munich, where he achieved great critical and public acclaim. Between 1882 and 1894, he no longer participated in the Salon (except in 1884, when he exhibited a portrait of his friend, the painter Bréauté), but instead focused on supplying the Parisian and Madrid galleries with which he had contracts. In 1892, he signed an exclusive contract with Félix Gérard, who would dictate the subject matter of the “casacones”—a style so fashionable at the time. Thus, during this period, he devoted himself almost exclusively to painting romantic scenes set in the 18th century. He soon left Paris and settled in Varenne-Saint-Hilaire (France), where he quickly became part of the cultural life and was appointed professor at the local School of Arts and Crafts. Beginning in 1895, he once again exhibited his works at the Paris Salon, and in 1914 he was granted French citizenship. During the early decades of the 20th century, he continued to paint, primarily landscapes of southern France and the Basque Country, as well as portraits of his family and flowers. Today, Eduardo León Garrido’s works are featured at the Prado Museum and the Charles Léandre Museum in Condé-sur-Noireau (France), as well as in prominent private collections both in Spain and abroad.