Record details

• generalData.authorNameInListings

  Eugenio Lucas Velázquez (1817-1870)

• generalData.title

  The Masquerade

• generalData.creationDate

  c. 1862

• technicalData.measurements

  31,8 x 43,5 cm

• technicalData.description

  OIl on tin (foil)

• technicalData.complementaryDescription

  Eugenio Lucas Velázquez is known for several paintings depicting scenes of masks, which are a notable part of his body of work. The paintings present scenes that are theatrical in nature, with masked figures engaged in various activities, suggesting elements of performance. These scenes often evoke a sense of mystery and intrigue, reflective of the broader Romantic fascination with the unknown and the dramatic.
  
  These paintings can be interpreted as social commentaries, exploring themes of identity, disguise, and the human tendency to conceal one's true self behind a façade. The depiction of masked figures can symbolize the complexities of human nature and societal norms.
  The artwork we present, from the antique collection of Don Marcial Torres Adalid, a close friend and undoubtedly the best client of Lucas, showcases the artist depicting a scene of masks set against a landscape backdrop. Lucas explored this theme in other notable works, such as The Sermon of the Masks (Museo Nacional del Prado) and The Masked Ball (held in a private collection).
  
  Our painting is a vivid and dynamic expression of Lucas's artistic personality. The nervous and rhythmic brushstrokes create a perfectly orchestrated melody, with thick, skilfully applied layers of colour that give the work brilliant, enamelled reliefs. Set against a backdrop of turbulent skies and a captivating atmosphere, a procession of Goyaesque characters unfolds. At the centre of the composition, a dense crowd of masked and unmasked figures emerge. Particularly noteworthy is the figure on the right side, holding a broom, which Arnaiz identifies in the painter's catalogue raisonné as a caricatured self-portrait of Lucas himself.