26 - Flamenco School, 17th century.

Flamenco School, 17th century. “The Judgment of Solomon.” Oil on copper. The painted surface shows slight scuffs. Provenance: Collection of the 1st Count of Cabarrús, passed down through the family to the current owner. Measurements: 37 x 29 cm; 42 x 34.5 cm (frame). Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. The work depicts the famous Judgment of Solomon with great attention to detail and a strong narrative and scenographic sense, characteristic of 17th-century Flemish painting. The composition, set in an interior opening onto the landscape and populated by numerous figures, combines a penchant for crowded scenes with meticulous attention to the depiction of gestures, costumes, and architectural elements. The use of copper as a support facilitates meticulous execution, a smooth pictorial surface, and a particular vibrancy in the colors and details. The episode, recounted in the Old Testament (1 Kings 3:16–28), tells of the dispute between two women who both claim to be the mother of the same child, following the death of one of their sons. Faced with the impossibility of determining the truth, Solomon proposes cutting the child in two, thereby revealing the identity of the true mother—the one willing to give him up to save his life.The scene extols the monarch’s wisdom and justice, while contrasting maternal self-sacrifice with envy and cruelty. Its depiction offers the painter the opportunity to unfold a complex composition in