La Fuensanta

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."

La Fuensanta
ArtistJulio Romero de Torres
Year1929
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions100 cm × 80 cm (39 in × 31 in)
LocationPrivate collection

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

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]

  • La Fuensanta on the reverse of 100 pesetas, 1953
    La Fuensanta on the reverse of 100 pesetas, 1953

References
  1. 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.
  2. "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.
  3. "Julio Romero de Torres". Sotheby's. Retrieved 16 Aug 2015.
  4. "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.
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