DOI Heft:
No. 97 (April, 1901)
DOI Artikel:Hart, Delia A.: A spanish painter: Francisco Pradilla
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19787#0209
Francisco Pradilla
for it is a wild day, the wind rages, the clouds are
being driven, and the flowing robes of the Prince
and those around him flutter in ever changing
folds. Through a defile, making their way slowly,
and taking the path which their chief and his
immediate friends have traversed, follow the horse-
men of " Boabdil the Unlucky."
An exquisite scene is reproduced in the beautiful
still waters of the Paludes Pontinas, the lagunas
famous in classic lore for the journey of Virgil
and Horace to Brindisi, where the two friends
embarked, traversing those mysterious morasses
in one ot those picturesque sandalos, or small
craft which plied then, as they do now, plough-
ing through the luxuriant vegetation, an under-
growth of plants, flowers and rare mosses. The
Paludes Pontinas lie between the Tirreno Sea
and the Monte de Circeo, where existed the
cave of Circe in the mountains of Volsgos and
Ernescos, haunts immortalised by the " /Eneid."
In the Strada del Santuario the painter gives us
a scene from among the popular and pious customs
of the peasantry who dwell in the " Campagna di
Roma." Pilgrimages to the shrine of " La Madona
di buen Consiglio" here take place annually on
the 8th of September, and are very largely
patronised by poor folk. Complying with some
vow, they often come long distances, and on
arrival at the territory of the Madona, which is
approached by a bridge, they cross it on bended
knees, kissing the ground at intervals of some
seconds.
Pradilla gives us a delicious peep into the
customs of the people of his country in the
charming p:cture, La Misa al Aire Libre. Upon
a rocky eminence commanding the bay of Vigo
is seen a little hermitage known to the peasantry
as " Nuestra Senora de la Guia," which possesses
among those pious simple folk the fame of
miraculous cure, To this sanctuary thousands
are attracted annually in the warmest part of the
summer, when the grand fete of the year is held.
The heterogeneous assemblage in divers postures
and in the picturesque dress of the country are
found scattered around in the near neighbourhood
of the little chapel; peasants, fisher-folk, sailors,
pilgrims, sickly and robust, youth and age, lame
and blind, some in repose, some in motion. This
painting is of miniature dimensions, a miniature
before which Meissonier would have paused in
delight.
A picture entitled PeJioje del Maiz gives
us the gleaning season in the Campagna. It is
an animated scene in the " Plaza," which is
surrounded by rustic cabins. Women, young
and old, whisper and laugh as they carelessly
glean. The old lady, proprietress of the farm, in
high bad humour, looks on and scolds from her
position on an elevation, from whence she can
inspect her work-people. A peasant woman is
"TRISTE VIDA"
180
BY F. PRADILLA
for it is a wild day, the wind rages, the clouds are
being driven, and the flowing robes of the Prince
and those around him flutter in ever changing
folds. Through a defile, making their way slowly,
and taking the path which their chief and his
immediate friends have traversed, follow the horse-
men of " Boabdil the Unlucky."
An exquisite scene is reproduced in the beautiful
still waters of the Paludes Pontinas, the lagunas
famous in classic lore for the journey of Virgil
and Horace to Brindisi, where the two friends
embarked, traversing those mysterious morasses
in one ot those picturesque sandalos, or small
craft which plied then, as they do now, plough-
ing through the luxuriant vegetation, an under-
growth of plants, flowers and rare mosses. The
Paludes Pontinas lie between the Tirreno Sea
and the Monte de Circeo, where existed the
cave of Circe in the mountains of Volsgos and
Ernescos, haunts immortalised by the " /Eneid."
In the Strada del Santuario the painter gives us
a scene from among the popular and pious customs
of the peasantry who dwell in the " Campagna di
Roma." Pilgrimages to the shrine of " La Madona
di buen Consiglio" here take place annually on
the 8th of September, and are very largely
patronised by poor folk. Complying with some
vow, they often come long distances, and on
arrival at the territory of the Madona, which is
approached by a bridge, they cross it on bended
knees, kissing the ground at intervals of some
seconds.
Pradilla gives us a delicious peep into the
customs of the people of his country in the
charming p:cture, La Misa al Aire Libre. Upon
a rocky eminence commanding the bay of Vigo
is seen a little hermitage known to the peasantry
as " Nuestra Senora de la Guia," which possesses
among those pious simple folk the fame of
miraculous cure, To this sanctuary thousands
are attracted annually in the warmest part of the
summer, when the grand fete of the year is held.
The heterogeneous assemblage in divers postures
and in the picturesque dress of the country are
found scattered around in the near neighbourhood
of the little chapel; peasants, fisher-folk, sailors,
pilgrims, sickly and robust, youth and age, lame
and blind, some in repose, some in motion. This
painting is of miniature dimensions, a miniature
before which Meissonier would have paused in
delight.
A picture entitled PeJioje del Maiz gives
us the gleaning season in the Campagna. It is
an animated scene in the " Plaza," which is
surrounded by rustic cabins. Women, young
and old, whisper and laugh as they carelessly
glean. The old lady, proprietress of the farm, in
high bad humour, looks on and scolds from her
position on an elevation, from whence she can
inspect her work-people. A peasant woman is
"TRISTE VIDA"
180
BY F. PRADILLA