Juan Pablo Salinas (Spanish, 1871-1946)

Juan Pablo Salinas moved to Rome in 1886, where he studied at the Chigi Academy and joined a group of Spanish artists drawn to the charismatic circles of Eduardo Rosales and Mariano Fortuny. His early work, influenced by the Florentine school, illustrates literary subjects such as Romeo and Juliet and scenes from Dante. He subsequently developed a reputation for his genre scenes, primarily drawn from everyday Spanish and Italian life. Salinas visited Paris where he became captivated by the style and technique of Ernest Meissonier, which suited his growing predilection for 18th century costume painting.

This painting shows an elegant company during a wedding party. The work is particularly unusual for its large scale and the complexity of its figural compositions. The rich and fanciful brushwork which Salinas used found particular success among dealers and collectors in Italy, Central Europe, Russia and America, and satisfied a huge commercial demand.