How does this artwork elucidate its Background?
Portrait of Angel Fernández de Soto is a study of a young Spanish artist sitting in a bar, shrouded in tobacco smoke from a pipe, with a glass of absinthe in front of him. The young man, Fernández de Soto, was Picasso's friend and was usually referred to as an "amusing wastrel", as he enjoyed drinking and partying. Picasso met Fernández de Soto in 1899 and they twice shared studios in Barcelona. The portrait gives an insight into the life of Picasso and his circle of friends, and Picasso immortalized Fernández de Soto in several of his paintings, some of which are now held in the Museu Picasso in Barcelona. Fernández de Soto was later killed in the Spanish Civil War.The Andrew Lloyd Webber Art Foundation purchased the painting for £18 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York City in 1995. The painting was included in a selection of works from Lloyd Webber's collection, which was exhibited at London's Royal Academy of Arts in 2003.
Royal Academy of Arts New York City Barcelona Museu Picasso Spanish Civil War Sotheby's Andrew Lloyd Webber portrait absinthe