In this artwork, how is the Description discussed?
The La Pintura was created by Hidalgo in the impressionist style inspired by the trend of Japonisme, as the collecting and display of ukiyo-e prints was gaining significant traction among Western art circles. Beginning in the 1890s, Hidalgo began veering away from the historical realism style that brought his work towards international recognition, as denoted with his award-winning composition Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho (1884) that garnered him a silver medal, along with that of compatriot and his personal friend Juan Luna who won his first gold medal (out of three) for Spoliarium at the 1884 Exposicion General de Bellas Artes in Madrid.The identity of the female painter depicted in the work has not been fully determined by scholars, previously attributing the sitter to Maria Yrritia who was Hidalgo's muse and common-law wife until his death in 1913.One plausible conclusion is that the model for the artwork was Nellie Boustead, one of the former lovers of the Philippine nationalist José Rizal. Boustead was one of the daughters of Eduardo Boustead, the illegitimate son of Edward Boustead, a wealthy British trader, and his Filipina partner who had residences in Biarritz and Paris. She became famously embroiled in a love triangle between her, Rizal, and fellow propagandist (later military general) Antonio Luna that almost led to a duel between the two.
historical realism Biarritz Japonisme duel common-law wife ukiyo-e Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho love triangle José Rizal Antonio Luna Juan Luna Spoliarium Paris muse Madrid