”TRAVELLERS”. OIL ON CANVAS. SIGNED “A. BRIONES”. 20TH CENTURY.

“Gypsies.” Oil on canvas. Signed “A. Briones.” Twentieth century. Oil on canvas showing a natural landscape in the background, barely sketched, to leave prominence to the figures that are advancing in the foreground. The man, on the right, carries a cane on his shoulders and a series of items, in addition to being accompanied by a baby bear. In the center, a woman walks with a stick on her shoulder, leading a saddle loaded with more objects and some children by the reins. The painting shows a family of gypsies, on their way to some show in which they would use the baby bear. Between the 15th and 18th centuries the artistic image of gypsies is stereotyped and very scarce, with some engravings, tapestry and paintings such as “Landscape with gypsies” by David Teniers III from the Prado Museum (inv. Poo1818). The 19th century would be the moment of emergence of the gypsy motif in the plastic arts, due to the interest of foreign artists attracted by the “exotic” of these people, exposing what they considered their most folkloric features, especially highlighting works by Fortuny and Sorolla. This work aims to influence the particularities of the gypsy people, but without remaining only in their stereotypes, clearly showing the hardness of their life and the loneliness that it brought with it. Technically, one can appreciate its relationship with innovative contributions that have appeared in French painting since the end of the 19th century. Thematically, it is reminiscent of works of social realism (a pictorial movement that appeared in France around the mid-19th century).

· Size: 97x64 cms. 86x117 cms.