Description

Considered one of the great masters of realism of the 19th C., Mariano Benlliure (Valencia, 1862–Madrid, 1947) came from a family of artists. He learned his craft in Valencia, his home city, and completed his training in Madrid, Paris, and Rome. He was a precocious artist who achieved fame and success very early on in his career. 

His technical virtuosity fostered an unchanging, dramatic style with Modernist touches. His output broadly spans the popular genre, religious imagery, portraiture, bullfighting imagery, and monuments. Among the latter, of particular note is the work he created in 1892 for the City of Granada, which represents Isabella I presenting Columbus with her jewels. 

In the case of this particular bust, the sculptor was very familiar with the subject’s features, as they were long-time friends. This work is a good example of the apparent effortlessness of Benlliure’s works and his mastery in conveying all of the qualities and textures he captures with an impulsive impressionist technique, which imbues the bronze model with all the plasticity of a clay model.

It is very likely that this piece (which is located in the deanery of the Faculty of Pharmacy) was created as a result of the University of Granada’s desire to honour its benefactor, the lawyer Natalio Rivas Santiago (Albuñol, Granada, 1865–Madrid, 1958). As an outstanding politician, he played a major role in the life of the Province of Granada.