Thursday, July 22, 2010

Edwin Long - At Prayer




Oil on canvas

Here, the popular British artist, Edwin Long, shows a scene at a Spanish church; a poor Spanish girl is kneeling down, deep in prayer.

The painting was probably inspired by the 17th century painting 'Saint Agnes' by Jusepe de Ribera. Like many 19th century artists, Long was influenced by the works of famous Spanish Baroque artists.

Long first visited Spain in 1857 on the advice of his mentor John Philip. Long was so impressed by the country and its people that he returned there twice more between 1857 and 1873.

Long developed a talent for Spanish genre painting and painted many scenes of Spanish life.

http://www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk/collections/browse_collections/art/victorian/000211.html?tab=information

2 comments:

Unknown said...

The girl isn't Spanish she's of Romany decent. She became the first in her line of travelers to settle in a permanent house after traveling with her family to England, I know this as she is my great-great grand mother. Would love to actually seer this.

Unknown said...

Ty Green - that's weird because this is apparently my great-great-great (not sure how long) grandmother too.