Huge tribute exhibition underway for 19th century Catalan painter Marià Fortuny

Barcelona (ACN) – After Francisco Goya, Marià Fortuny is considered the best Spanish painter of the 19^th century. He is known for the virtuosity of his brushstroke and the use of vivid colours. The exhibition contains 45 paintings that pay tribute to his 175^th birthday. This project has been organised by the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) and the local museum of the artist’s hometown, Reus, near Tarragona in Southern Catalonia.

The title of the exhibition, ‘Fortuny, the myth’, makes sense for several reasons. His works showed the light and exoticism of Africa and also introduced Oriental themes. The exhibition curator, Jordi Àngel Carbonell, explained that Fortuny laid the foundations of impressionism and had a huge influence in Spain as well as Europe. The exhibition will run until the 7^th of September and is an opportunity to see some of the artist’s masterpieces such as ‘La vicaria’ (The vicarage) or ‘Il contino’ (The count).

Most of the work of this revered painter has been shown in Barcelona’s MNAC and also in Madrid’s Prado Museum. This exhibition in Reus, next to the Costa Daurada, is the most complete and largest exhibition since 1974, according to its curators. The 45 pictures displayed have been organised into six topics: ‘The artist’s image’, ‘Romantic influence’, ‘Genre painting’, ‘Orientalism’, ‘Influence of other maestros’ and ‘Direct vision’. The budget of the exhibition has been more than €350,000.