Vicente López Portaña (Valencia, 1772 - Madrid, 1850)

Vicente López Portaña (Valencia, 1772 - Madrid, 1850) ‘Santa María de Cervelló’ (Saint Mary of Cervelló) Ink drawing on paper. Preparatory for the engraved print by Vicente Capilla, catalogued under number E-188 in the catalogue raisonné of José Luis Díez, Vicente López: vida y obra, Madrid, 1999; p. 603 (plate 91). 10.5 x 7 cm. In both this and the previous three, it should be noted that López is committed to giving a close and dynamic image of the saints portrayed. It is revealing that Saint Mary of Cervelló, also known as Saint Mary of Succour, is not depicted holding a model of a ship (as would be traditional), but protecting a real ship in full sail. The same can be said of Saint Joseph Calasanz, who attends to a real child; of Saint Augustine, captured at the very moment of receiving divine inspiration; or of the risen Christ, gracefully emerging from his tomb under an intense beam of light. Even Saint Augustine, the most static of them all, cannot help but look straight ahead. In this way, the artist achieves authentic images of life that easily connect with the viewer, the ultimate goal of this type of work.