Mariano Fortuny Followup

One of my most read posts during the last few months has been Mariano Fortuny- Did you know he also painted? As you could tell, I adore his lush velvets, magical pleated silks and his style of painting. I look forward to visiting Venice this fall and the Palazzo Fortuny.

Last week I was contacted by a wonderful gentleman from Italy named Sig. Giorgio Busetto. He corrected the post by informing me that Fortuny's father actually painted the flowers in a vase photo:

"The painting with pot of flowers has been painted by
MARIANO FORTUNY Y MARSAL, father of Mariano Fortuny Y Madrazo (1871 - 1949).
The signature ,without doubt, belong to Fortuny Y Marsal (1835 - 1874)." 

I stand corrected. 

Giorgio also kindly offered to share with me three more photos that are in his family. It turns out that his mother-in-law, Clara, who died last year at age 95, began to work in the Fortuny Atelier around 1930. She prepared the various velvets, silks and other materials for coloring by Mr. Fortuny until his death in 1949.

Later, Mrs. Henriette Fortuny, the widow of Mariano, called Clara back to become her housekeeper until she passed away in 1965. Henriette Fortuny gave her these paintings, dedicating them on the back with the inscription "... alla cara Clara..."; cara means beloved.

Without further ado, here are the cherished Fortuny paintings in the care of Sig. Giorgio Busetto.

This is the beautiful Ritratto di Henriette Fortuny, circa 1917. 

It is tempera on wood and measures 40 cm x 55 cm.

The dedication on the back is:

"alla carissima Clara un ricordo  Henriette Fortuny"

This photo is named Perugia, Rue e vielles maisons. 

It is tempera on wood and measures 17.5 cm x 13 cm.

 

The dedication on the back reads "Appartiene alla cara Clara da Henriette Fortuny"

Lastly, here is Corrida de Toros. A picador (who jabs the bull with a lance) is in the foreground and a toreador (the person who performs with and kills the bull) is in the background. The painting is also tempera on wood and measures 18 cm x 13 cm.

The dedication on the back is "Alla cara Clara di Henriette Fortuny".

On behalf of all of the Fortuny lovers here in the US, thank you, Sig. Giorgio Busetto, for your generosity in sharing these precious paintings with us!

 

Mariano Fortuny- Did you know he also painted?

When I think of Mariano Fortuny, lush velvets and delicate, pleated silks come to mind.  The “Delphos” dress is a classic. The “Fortuny lampshade” is also. The beautiful damask fabrics, the gorgeous clothes.  His mystique.  What I did not realize is that he was also a very gifted painter. And engraver. And stage and lighting set designer. Some of his inventions set new benchmarks in theater that are still followed today.


La Pedrera de Caixa Catalunya (the museum) in Barcelona, Spain is currently holding an exposition on Fortuny and his works: Fortuny, El mag de Venecia (Fortuny, The Magician of Venice).
Besides viewing his incredible fabrics, clothing and inventions, there are also presentations, discussions and a tactile tour of fabrics. I wish I was in Barcelona! I think they should bring this wonderful display to the USA!

Silk lampshades in Mariano Fortuny 1999 Marsilio Editori

Fortuny velvet

Mariano Fortuny (y Madrazo) was born in Grenada, Spain in 1871. After his painter father’s early death at age 36 of malaria in 1874, his mother moved her two young children to Paris, where Mariano was encouraged to study painting and etching under his uncle’s tuteledge. He was introduced to many of the artists at the time through his family and exposed to many styles of painting.   In 1889, his mother moved the family to Venice. Mariano spent time in both Venice and Paris, before finally settling in the Palazzo Orfei.  Today it is now called the Palazzo Fortuny, as it houses the museum dedicated to Fortuny and his works.

Here are some views of the Palazzo Fortuny:

Palazzo Fortuny exterior in Fortuny by Guillermo de Osma

Palazzo Fortuny exterior in Fortuny by Anne-Marie Deschodt

The Grand Salon in Fortuny by Anne-Marie Deschodt

Palazzo Fortuny in Fortuny by Guillermo de Osma

 

The library in Fortuny by Anne-Marie Deschodt

Fortuny's studio in Fortuny by Anne-Marie Deschodt

Fortuny worked in oils, gouache and tempera, creating his own color pigments. He favored copper plate etching, which, along with his painting, greatly influenced his later creations in silk and velvet. He learned the subtle use of color and the importance of light to achieve the dramatic effects seen in his textiles.

Here are  some of Fortuny’s paintings:

Una roccia a pareti verticali sulla riva del mare" 1948

Prove alla Scala di Milano

Ritratto di Henriette Fortuny in costume pompeiano, 1935

Here Fortuny painted his own Palazzo:

Interno dell'atelier del pittore a palazzo Pesaro-Orfei a Venezia

 

http://www.invertirenarte.es/mercadodearte/imagenes/Octubre%2027/duran_fortuny.jpg
Painted by Fortuny's father, Mariano Fortuny Y Marsal (1835 - 1874)

And last, but not least, my favorite:

Schizzo per la decorazione dell'atelier dell'artista a Venezia