Wanderings in Spain (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 edition. Excerpt: ...afford no sufficient criterion of the merits of his style. After Goya, the two most distinguished names are Jose Aparicio, and Vicente Lopez y Portaria, both of whom have adopted the manner of the new French schools. Both are natives of the province of Valencia, the former having been born at Alicante in 1773, and the latter in Valencia, in 1772, the father of Lopez and other members of his family having followed the profession of artists; both have also enjoyed the distinction of being Pintores de Camara to the late King Ferdinand. There are some large works from the pencil of Aparicio in the museum. One celebrates the redemption of 1700 slaves in Argel, by order of Charles III.; another represents some appalling scenes of the dreadful famine which prevailed in Madrid during a part of the years 1811-12; and a third, by the same artist, is an allegorical subject, called "The Glories of Spain;" in which the Genius of that country, who is accompanied by Religion and her attributes, distributes arms to her sons, who receive them with enthusiastic ardour to be employed against the French invaders. In the centre is a bust of Ferdinand VII. on a lofty pedestal, the artist having wisely taken this means of introducing his majesty, who was not personally present at the glorious strugr gle made for him by his too devoted subjects. The only work by Lopez that has made any impression on my memory, was a portrait of Goya which possesses considerable merit. Jose Madrazo, the present director of the museum, and, who as well as Aparicio, studied under David in Paris, has closely copied the rigid and classic style of that master in a large picture of " the Death of Viriato" which represents the assassination of the formidable chief of the Lusitani by...