GENARO PÉREZ VILLAAMIL Y DUGUET (El Ferrol, La Coruña, 1807-Madrid, 1854)Paisaje con contrabandistas

Oil on canvas. 52,5 x 67,5 cm. Signed in the lower right corner: "G. P. Villaamil". On the back with labels inscribed in ink: "T."/"D."/"Marco 37"/ ; on the frame: "351" and label of the Fábrica de Molduras by Don Francisco Alba. PROVENANCE: Former Madrid collection. Daniel Sánchez de Rivera. Private collection Madrid. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Enrique Arias Anglés, Enrique: "El paisajista romántico, Jenaro Pérez Villaamil", Madrid, 1986, pp. 263, nº 185. Villaamil was an outstanding master of the Spanish Romantic landscape, influenced by his English master David Roberts (1796-1864). He learned from Roberts the grandiose interpretation of monumental buildings, the attraction for medieval ruins, the poetic intensity of light effects and the powerful representation of nature. He introduced in Spain this romantic vision of landscape, which was booming throughout Europe. Spain's historical vestiges and picturesque customs attracted many European artists, influencing Spanish painting as well. With his exceptional talent for drawing and composition, Pérez Villaamil excelled in this new style, focusing on painting interiors and exteriors of monuments, as well as views of real or imagined cities with historical remains and fantastic landscapes. His dedication and skill brought him great fame in his time. On the banks of a calm river, a barge with a couple of locals is at work while another boat crosses the riverbed. In the background you can see a lush grove of trees and, on both sides of the river, several buildings. On the right bank, an imposing fortress rises accessible through a steep staircase that culminates in a large door with a semicircular arch. The fortress, crowning the mountain and located in a wild and secluded natural setting, dominates the landscape with its towers and battlements, standing out against a twilight sky and a mountainous horizon, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Despite the sobriety of the composition, the landscape is elaborated with an exquisite technique, with a detailed and precise drawing that describes each element with vibrant nuances. These nuances unfold in subtle transparencies, especially visible in the misty remoteness of the mountains in the background. This refined style is characteristic of Villaamil. It is possible that the painting represents a view of Alcalá la Real, a strategically important enclave in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, with its monumental Fortaleza de la Mota, its walls and the Alcazaba Tower, accessible through a walled staircase.