Figure 1.-- This is a Esqquival self-portrait with his sons Carlos and Vicente (figure 1). This was opainted in 1843, only 3 years after the illness that almost cost Esquival his sight. The boys look to be about 6-10 years old. Carlos holds a pupet. We can't make out much detail about the bys' clothing. He wears a collar buttoning jacket with a double column of buttons and linen collar. It is not clear if the collar is part of a blouse. Vicente wears a black jacket and blouse . Both boys became painters.

Antonio María Esquivel y Suárez de Urbina (1806–57) is an important Spanish portratist. He is classified as a Romantic artist. We are not entirely sure why as his portraits are highly realistic--we do not see the emotionalism commonly atributed to the Romantics. He is valuable to our HBC website because his images come at a time before the invention of photography and then before we see really large numbers of images, in part because Spain was such a poor country at the time. He was an active artist, although died at a fairly young age. Antonio was born Seville. Seville was the gateway of the Spain's fabulous trans-Atlantic trade ans treasure ships managed by the Casa de Contratación. It became one of the largest cities in Western Europe (16th-17th centuries). By the 19th century when Antonio was born, and Spain lost most of it Empire, the city had declined. Anononio's father was a cavalry officer killed in the Napoleonic Wars when he wa very young (1808). He became interested in art from a very early age. His career was cut short byb a illness in which he lost his site. Friends helped him get medical attention in France so he could continue painting. Most of his portaits are of the rich and famous if Spanish society, but there areseveral portraits of their children. He died in Madrid, at the relative young age of 51 years (1857). Only a few years after his death, the CDV appeared creating vast numbers of images. But before that the number of photographic images were very limited.

Biography

Antonio was born Seville. Seville was the gateway of the Spain's fabulous trans-Atlantic trade ans treasure ships managed by the Casa de Contratación. It became one of the largest cities in Western Europe (16th-17th centuries). By the 19th century when Antonio was born, and Spain lost most of it Empire, the city had declined. Anononio's father was a cavalry officer killed in the Napoleonic Wars when he wa very young (1808). He became interested in art from a very early age. His first formal studies were at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de Santa Isabel de Hungría in Seville. He became stringly influenced with the pictorial techniques of Murillo. He found ontainh commossions in Siville difficult and had a family to support. He went to Madrid and enrolled at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (1831). His talents were recognized and he became a merit scholar. He became an enthusiastic participant in the liberal intellectual life of still conservstive Madrid. e helped found Madrid's Artistic and Literary Lyceum. He taught classes in anatomy based on his artistyic studies. His career was cut short by a illness in which his sight was impiated. leaving him nearly blind. He returned to Seville (1839). That of course was a career ending impairment for an artist. Deeply depressed by his inability to paint and attempted to commit suicide. He jumping into the Guadalquivir River. His friends and associates at the Lyceum helped him obtain medical attention in France. He was able to recover his sight and continue his career (1840). His studio became a gtering point for the literary set, especially poets (1840s). Esquival did a huge painting of one ofv the gatherings. Each poet was detailed inm a small-scale portrait. Esquival was named Court painter (1843). He was appointed Professor at the San Fernando Academy (1847). He became a founding member of the Society for the Protection of the Fine Arts and wrote a book on art theory: Tratado de Anatomía Pictórica He died in Madrid, at the relative young age of 51 years (1857).

Style

Antonio María Esquivel y Suárez de Urbina (1806–57) is an important Spanish portratist. He is classified as a Romantic artist. We are not entirely sure why as his portraits are highly realistic--we do not see the emotionalism commonly atributed to the Romantics.

Value

He is valuable to our HBC website and fashion historians because his images come at a time before the invention of photography and then before we see really large numbers of images, in part because Spain was such a poor country at the time. Only a few years after his death, the CDV appeared creating vast numbers of images. But before that the number of photographic images were very limited.

Body of Work

Esquival was an active artist, although died at a fairly young age. Most of his portaits are of the rich and famous if Spanish society, but there are several portraits of their children. His official recognitions include the "Commander's Cross" of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.

Child with drum (1837)

This is one of Esquivel's earlier portraits. It is reproduced on the internert by countless sites. But unlike many popular images, we have found no discussion. All we see is the virtually mandatory, 'Girl with a drum' or 'girl playing a drum'/'niña tocando el tambor'. As far as we know this was not Esquivel's title, but rather a title that has been ascribed to the painting. And the identity of the child is unknown. I must have been a commision. Why the child's name is lost, we do not know. A problem here, is that most people assume a child in a dress is a girl, even though before the 20th century, younger boys commonly wore dresses until breeched, commonly at ages 3-5 years. And here we have questions, primarily because it is very rare to picture a girl with drum. In fact, a drum was one of the props used to identify boys. But we notice the child had a center hair part, this is an attribute commonly adopted by girls, but like the drum is not a sure indicator. The child is depicted in a white dress and pantalettes. This of course suggests a girl to our modern sebsibilities. But at the time younger boys also wore dresss and pantalettes. The ringlet curls are also a complication. They also make the child look like a girl. But younger boys also might have their hair curled. Here we think such extensive ringlets were lsss common for boys at the time. It this had been during the Fauntleroy era (1880s-90s) it woul not have been so associated with girls.

Self portrait (1843)

This is a self-portrait with his sons Carlos and Vicente (figure 1). This was opainted in 1843, only 3 years after the illness that almost cost Esquival his sight. The boys look to be about 6-10 years old. Carlos holds a pupet. We can't make out much detail about the bys' clothing. He wears a collar buttoning jacket with a double column of buttons and linen collar. It is not clear if the collar is part of a blouse. Vicente wears a black jacket and blouse. Both boys became painters.

Children playing with a ram (1843)

This is anotherb of Esquival's commisssions, but again the mames of the childrebn are lost. There are twins who look to be about 3 years old and their older brother who looks to be about 9 years old. We believe that they are all brothers. The younger boys wear matching dresses and baby bonnets but the side hair part suggest that they are twin brothers. The older brother weaes what looks like a velvet burgundy tunic with lace trimmed collar and cuff trim. He also wears brown pants. He has long hair. That by itself was not a childish style. Adult men at the time might have long hair. This had to be a commission, but the names of the children are lost. We see the imahe on several internet sites and while we know the date, nothing more is known. All we see is 'Children playing with a ram.'

Royal family (1855)

Here we see a portrait by Esquivel painted (1855). It depicts Raimundo Roberto and Fernando José, the sons of the Infanta Josefa Fernanda de Borbón. Josefa Fernanda was born an infanta of Spain as the daughter of Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain and Princess Luisa Carlotta of the Two Sicilies. Infante/infanta of course translates as infant or youinger child. In the case of Spanish royals it means prince/princess. She married liberal poet and journalist José Güell y Renté (1848). European royals did not normally marry liberal poets. It had to be a morganatic marriage, meaning that thev children lost all rights to inherit the Spanish thrown. Queen Isabella II of Spain also exiled Josefa Fernanda from the royal court (1848). Josefa Fernanda and José had three children. Josefa Fernanda returned to Spain after only 4b years (1852). Josefa Fernanda herself became known as a supporter of the progressive forces and did so during the Spanish Revolution (1854). As a result if their liberal associations, they became aquained with Esquival who was also a court painter. It is a rather unusual painted as the boys are depicted in sheep skins. It is generally seen as a alusion to the 'novel savage'. In Western philosophy, the noble savage is a concept which became a literary stock character. TYhe concept is a non-European who is uncorrupted by civilization. The noble savage was a liberal concept emphasizes the innate goodness and moral superiority of a primitive people living in harmony with Nature. It should be emhssied ht this was a liberal concept and not the orientastion of the Spanish Govrnment. Spain for example continued to maintain slavey in what was left of its Empire, most notably Cuba. This continued until the 1880s, finally abolished by Spanish royal decree (1886). The idea od posing th children in this way was proposed by their father. The painting is now in the Prado Museum in Madrid.

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Created: 11:15 PM 11/28/2023
Last updated: 11:15 PM 11/28/2023