Antonio Reyna Manescau (1859-1937) - Gran Canal

Antonio Reyna Manescau (Málaga, 1862 – Rome, 1937)
"Gran Canal"
Technical Sheet
Author: Antonio Reyna Manescau (Coín, Málaga, 1862 – Rome, 1937).

Title: Gran Canal (View of Venice with palace and gondolas).

Technique: Oil on canvas.

Measurements:

Unframed: 29 x 50 cm.
With frame: 53 x 75 cm.

Signature: Signed and located in the lower right corner: "A. Reyna / Venezia".

Provenance: Acquired at auction at Sala Durán in 2007, with a hammer price of €18,000. Private collection.

Condition: Excellent condition of painting and support. Presented with a wide and sumptuous carved and gilded wooden frame of a later period, with rich geometric and vegetal ornamentation in bas-relief.

Description and Analysis of the Work
This magnificent work represents one of the iconic Venetian views that internationally established Antonio Reyna Manescau, who was nicknamed by contemporary critics as "the Painter of Venice".

The composition takes us to the banks of the Grand Canal of Venice. In the foreground, the quay invites the viewer to contemplate the serene waters where the Renaissance and Baroque architecture of the palaces lining the waterway is reflected with exquisite sensitivity. In the center of the scene a gondola advances, adding dynamism, human scale, and the lyrical atmosphere characteristic of nineteenth-century vedutas.

Reyna Manescau's style stands out for its refined meticulous technique and impressionist sensibility. Notable is the capture of color and the radiant Mediterranean and Italian light, expressed through agile and precise brushstrokes:

The water and reflections: Resolved with emerald, turquoise, and golden tones that capture the subtle movement of the Venetian tide.

The sky: A sky dominated by soft clouds and pinkish and salmon-hued skies suggesting the warm light of the late afternoon.

The architecture: Meticulous treatment of the palace façade on the right-hand side, where the artist demonstrates outstanding technical mastery in architectural drawing without losing pictorial freshness.

Biographical Note and Importance of the Author
Antonio Reyna Manescau initially trained at the School of Fine Arts of San Telmo in Málaga under teachers such as Bernardo Ferrándiz and Joaquín Martínez de la Vega. Beneficiary of a scholarship from the Provincial Council of Málaga to study in Italy, he settled in Rome in 1885, a city where he would reside for much of his life, making frequent trips to Venice.

Reyna achieved enormous international success in Europe and America with his Venetian views, characterized by luminosity, vibrant color, and impeccable execution. His works are part of important private collections and international museum institutions.