Spanish school (XX) - Trío de Manolas

INTEREST OF THE SET
The three works share a taste for refined and picturesque representation of the Andalusian woman, though approached from two different realms: the French espagnolisme of the Belle Époque and the Sevillian costumbrista tradition.
The two Manolas of a French ambience represent the Belle Époque’s cosmopolitan taste for the Spanish image, while the Manola from the Sevillian school conveys that imaginary to a setting where the female figure appears integrated into ornamental architecture and accompanied by the traditional attributes of Andalusian culture.
The small formats, the careful miniaturist execution and the diamond-shaped period frames contribute to the visual unity of the set.

1.- Pair of cabinet Manolas. Espagnolisme français. Miniature female portraits. Belle Époque. Paris, c. 1900–1908. Oils on canvas.

Elegant pair of miniature female portraits executed in oil on canvas, dated around 1900-1908, in full Belle Époque, with an approximate age of about 120 years. On the reverse of both works remain their original backs with handwritten ink inscriptions. Among them the reference to Paris and the dates 1900 and 1908 seem to be distinguished, elements that provide an interesting testimony of the material history and possible provenance of the set, although their reading is not entirely clear.

The figures respond to the archetype of MANOLAS: an idealized image of the Andalusian woman that achieved extraordinary popularity in the Parisian artistic milieu of the Belle Époque, within the phenomenon known as espagnolisme. Inspired by the romantic Spanish imaginary, they combine traditional elements of the rich Andalusian attire with a refined and cosmopolitan interpretation aimed at the taste of the European clientele of the time.

The compositions show two female busts against a dark background: one figure facing front in three-quarter view and the other in profile. Both wear characteristic elements of traditional Andalusian dress, highlighting the mantón de Manila and, respectively, a comb and a fan.

The long earrings, the small combs, the flowers that adorn the hair gathered in a low bun and the delicate wave-like lines framing the face form an iconographic repertoire closely linked to the image of Andalusia spread in the European artistic imagination of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The set retains its original wooden frames, of elegant diamond format and rich stepped molding, a decorative typology very characteristic of French production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which enhances the intimate and precious nature of these miniatures.

The preservation of the frames and the original backs, along with the handwritten annotations on the reverse, adds value to the set by preserving its historical configuration and offering a valuable testimony of its material trajectory.

DIMENSIONS
• Frame: 13.5 × 13.5 cm.
• Visible painting area: approximately 6 × 6 cm.

CONDITION
Very good condition for works aged about 120 years. The works retain their original frames and backs in full, including the handwritten inscriptions on the reverse.
• The paintings show slight superficial wear and the natural aging typical of their age.
• The frames retain their sturdy structure, their original patina and only show minor signs of use consistent with the passage of time.
• One of the frames lacks the movable hanging ring, a circumstance visible in the photographs. It is an easily replaceable element that does not affect the stability or proper preservation of the set.


2. MANOLA IN SEVILLAN PATIO
Seville School / José Rubio y Villegas
Late 19th century – early 20th century
Oil on panel

This painting is an authentic piece of the history of Spanish 19th-century painting and illustration signed by a renowned lineage of academics.
The work represents the rise of Andalusian cabinet genre painting of the late 19th century, whose provenance and value lie in its belonging to the prestigious decorative and sumptuous school of Seville at the turn of the centuries.

Casa Rubio was an emblematic establishment founded in the mid-19th century in Seville, renowned for the creation and sale of select, hand-painted costumbrista items of high quality, linked to the image of Seville.
José Rubio y Villegas is the creator of this work of the Sevillian school and was closely linked to the production of luxury commemorative art in Seville at the time.

Public records identity: In the official catalogs of Andalusia’s patrimonial movable goods (such as the fiches of the Palacio de las Dueñas), these small costumbrista pieces and oil-ware items (cabinet-form boards and tambourines) appear inventory literally under the rubric: “Author: Rubio – Sevilla.”

DESCRIPTION
Excellent cabinet piece executed in oil on panel and signed “Rubio” with indication “Sevilla”: signature that locates the work and the authorship of José Rubio de Villegas

Rubio was a painter and lithographer, who followed the successful steps of his father and, like him, also studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, thus continuing the talented artistic and academic lineage.

The painting presents with miniaturist finesse a scene of picturesque and ornamental character starring a young Manola semi-sitting on the parapet of a large arch that frames her, with a Spanish guitar held in front of her body. The guitar establishes a diagonal that crosses the figure, while the arch wraps her and makes her the visual center of the scene.

The young woman embodies the Manola archetype: a dress with ruffles and a frill, the face framed by a wavy hairstyle, the hair gathered low and a flower adorning the hair.
The figure is integrated into a Mudéjar-inspired gallery, with a strongly ornamental character. Behind her opens a large lobed arch, through which the blue sky and a mass of vegetation are visible. On both sides appear architectural surfaces decorated with geometric and vegetal motifs, while the green base runs through the background and visually beneath the figure.

The composition establishes a contrast between the geometric, static architecture and the linearity of the pavement, against the curved forms of the figure, the dress ruffles, the guitar, the flowers and the Mantón de Manila.

The palette is dominated by blues and grayish greens, off-whites and soft tones of the architecture. Against them stand out the reds of the dress and flowers, the ochre of the mantoncillo and the golden tones of the guitar and the lightness of the Mantón de Manila resting on a piece.
The lighting is clear and uniform. The volume of the figure is obtained through soft gradations, while the architectural elements show a more linear and decorative finish.
The work preserves its original diamond-shaped wooden frame with stepped molding and protective glass.

DIMENSIONS
With frame: 23 cm x 23 cm
Painting: 17 cm x 17 cm
Background: 3 cm

The work shares the same cabinet dimensions as other works by the author.

AUTHENTICITY: The physical signature “Rubio / Sevilla”
DATE: Late 19th century / early decades of the 20th century

CONDITION: Excellent overall condition. The pictorial layer is stable and preserves the vividness of the colors. The period frame shows the natural patina of its age and preserves its protective glass

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
** The photographs are part of the description.
** The final measurements and weight indicated correspond to the configuration of secure packing, essential to guarantee the proper protection of the three works during transport.