| La Fuensanta | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Julio Romero de Torres |
| Year | 1929 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 100 cm × 80 cm (39 in × 31 in) |
| Location | Private collection |
La Fuensanta is a portrait painting by Spanish artist Julio Romero de Torres depicting María Teresa López González, one of Torres' models. Gonzalez is depicted with her arms resting on a copper cauldron. The painting was made in the autumn of 1929, when Torres completed another two artworks, La Chiquita Piconera and Bodegas Cruz Conde.[1] "Fuensanta" is a Spanish girl’s name that means "holy fountain."
Born in Argentina, González moved with her family to Torres' native town of Córdoba after World War I.[2] After she first sat for Torres at the age of fourteen, González became one of his favourite models whose likeness is most closely associated to Torres.[2] According to Sotheby's, the work has been "proclaimed as a quintessential rendition of Andalucian beauty".[2] It was depicted for 25 years on the 100 peseta banknote.
Provenance[edit]
The provenance of La Fuensanta has been largely unknown since 1930, when it was exhibited at the Ibero-American Exposition in Seville. In 1994, the painting was bought by an Argentine citizen. In November 2007, La Fuensanta was sold by Sotheby's to a private buyer.[3] The Spanish Ministry of Culture tried to purchase the painting from Sotheby's, but the auction price of €1,173,400 euros was too high.[4]
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La Fuensanta on the reverse of 100 pesetas, 1953
References[edit]
- ^ Mundinteractivos (15 November 2007). "La 'Fuensanta' de Romero de Torres se subasta por cerca de 1,2 millones de euros". elmundo.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 May 2023.
- ^ a b c "Iconic Cultural Image Heads Selection of Works by Top Spanish Artists" (PDF). Sotheby's. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 Aug 2015.
- ^ "Julio Romero de Torres". Sotheby's. Retrieved 16 Aug 2015.
- ^ "El Gobierno pujó por la 'Fuensanta' de Romero de Torres en Sotheby's, pero desistió porque se disparó el precio" (in Spanish). Europa Press. 23 Jan 2008. Retrieved 16 Aug 2015.