Mariano Fortuny, the Spanish Prix de Rome

"The Print Collector" by Mariano Fortuny

"On the 6th of March, 1857, the Spanish Prix de Rome was unanimously given to Mariano Fortuny. The subject of the competition was "Raymond III nailing the arms of Barcelona on the tower of the Castle of Foix.'"

"The pension granted was 8000 reaux (about 2080 francs a year); for two years the pensioner engaged to send six drawings from nature, one copy in oil of an old master; in the last month of the term, six similar figures and a painting in oil, the subject to be taken from the history of Catalonia."

The following are excerpts from a letter to one of his former teachers:

"My Much Esteemed Master, I trust you will pardon me for not writing to you during the month I have passed in Rome, but thought it better to wait, that I might give you my impressions of this great city. What I admire above all are the frescoes of Raphael at the Vatican, particularly 'Mount Parnassus,' the 'School of Athens,' the 'Dispute on the Holy Sacrament,' and the 'Burning of Bergo.' What I call a well-painted picture, and which I place above all others, is a portrait of 'Innocent X' by Velasquez."

After having worked all day, Mariano then would go to the Academy of Gigi, to study and draw the model unclothed for two hours, the clothed for another two hours. He continued this, only rarely missing an evening, for eight years. He sent pictures back to Spain with the instructions that any money earned from their sale should go to his grandfather. Sadly the old man died a year to a day after Mariano had arrived in Rome...and Mariano was greatly grieved.

To be continued...

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