Mariano Fortuny, Always at Work

"Idyll," an etching by Mariano Fortuny

"Mariano Fortuny was never idle a moment. During the day, when not at work in his studio, he made sketches in the environs of the city, accompanied by some friend. One dark night they were attacked by fierce dogs who watch the flocks of the herdsmen of the Campagna around Rome. They used their color boxes as shields while walking backwards, finally finding shelter in a cabin.

Fortuny generally left his house early for the 'Studio di Papa Giulio,' so he called his atelier - although he sometimes slept there all night, stretched upon the straw, when he wished to begin work at daylight. There was a large and almost uncultivated garden attached to his atelier which enabled the artist to paint his models in open air. He placed them at the desired distance, according to the place they should fill in the picture, and amused himself in directing their change of place by blowing a bugle. In the evenings, he often etched on copper plates from the live model, and often continued at work until late at night.

He also made many copies, principally in watercolors, of works by Titian, Tintoret, Greco, Velasquez, Goya and other masters, on trips to museums in other cities and countries. It was while he was in Paris where he was introduced to M. Goupil, who at first glance perceived his profoundly original talent and proposed an arrangement such as he had practiced for many years with other painters of great renown - notably with Paul de la Roche and Gerome - that is to say, the purchase of his works at a fixed price, any profit in excess of this to be divided between him and Fortuny."

To be continued

(Excerpted from "Life of Fortuny with His Works and Correspondence" by Charles Davillier, 1885.)