Aureliano de Beruete Madrid 1845-1912

Acquired by the family of the present owner in the mid-1960s; thence by descent

A polymath from an affluent background, a painter of note, and a distinguished art historian, Beruete also studied law and was active in politics. Beruete's painterly style shows the influence of the artists that he studied as a critic, emulated as a student, and discovered on his extensive travels throughout Europe. The plein air painting of the Barbizon School which he came to know and admire on trips to France had a lasting effect on him, as did the impressionistic style of the Valencian painters. Underlying these modern influences, however, was a profound admiration for Velázquez and Goya. Particularly in his use of short and rapid brushstrokes in the present work, Beruete was perhaps taking inspiration from the sketching style of his illustrious predecessors.