Mariano Fortuny in London

"The Rare Vase" by Mariano Fortuny

"Mariano Fortuny had invited Charles Davillier, the author of this book, to spend a week in London with him. Davillier wrote of the trip: "Our time was to be devoted to monuments, museums, and studies of fashion. A happy chance meeting led to a visit with Millais, who received his young brother in art with the liveliest sympathy and with that frankness which is one of the bright sides of the English character. The celebrated painter, even exacted from us the promise of another visit for the year following - which much pleased Fortuny. He also wished to see two painters he had known at Rome, Alma Tadema and Leighton, but unfortunately they were not at home.

Fortuny had almost constantly, according to his habit, his pencil in his hand. We went to the British Museum, South Kensington, the Tower and the Indian Museum. He found many things that interested him much, especially arms and armor and he also quickly filled his album. The Zoological Garden so much interested Fortuny that we passed a whole day there where he found many subjects for studies and made a delicious sketch of a group of babies, fresh and rosy, mounted on a huge elephant. He purposed later to make a picture of it.

After having passed part of an evening at the theatre, we retired to our little chamber with two beds, exhausted with fatigue, which did not prevent our talking until late in the night. He made me the confidant of his dreams for the future. He spoke of putting himself safe above want of the absolute necessities of life, and to make for himself an independence that would allow him to paint what he would, as he understood it. He had a true passion for the 15th century, all the beauty of which he fully comprehended and intended thereafter to attack subjects belonging to this interesting epoch. He particularly spoke to me of a Borgian supper and other scenes, borrowed from the time of the Italian Renaissance.

Fortuny was delighted with his trip to London, one which we would renew the following year. Some days later he started to return to Rome, and I accompanied him as far as the Lyons depot, together with his brother-in-law, Raymundo, and we embraced him just as the train was starting, far from thinking we should never again see a friend we loved so much."

To be continued

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