Antonio Medina

ANTONIO MEDINA (Madrid, 1944).
“The Baptism.”
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 52 x 82 cm; 73 x 101 cm (frame).
Antonio Medina began his training at the School of Ceramics and subsequently studied for four years under the painter José María Salgas. He was also a non-degree student at the San Fernando School of Fine Arts. For some time, he worked intensively on the restoration of 19th-century works depicting local customs, and this work sparked in him a love for paintings of this genre, which he would later cultivate in a style reminiscent of the 19th-century Spanish masters, while always displaying an undeniable personal touch. In this genre, he shows the influence of Fortuny, Madrazo, and Jiménez de Aranda in particular. In 1983, he held his first solo exhibition, in which he displayed a series of canvases focusing on contemporary Madrid customs. A master of the costumbrista genre, this painter has developed a style characterized by confident brushwork, brilliant use of color, and a rich evocative power, particularly evident in his period paintings. However, Medina also tackles other subjects, such as landscape and portraiture, and works skillfully in watercolor as well. Since the 1980s, he has held several solo exhibitions, all of which have been highly acclaimed by critics and the public alike, and has also participated in numerous group exhibitions held at various national galleries. His work is currently represented primarily in private collections.