Karla Darocas will highlight the Seville artist Gonzalo Bilbao (1860-1938), a painter of Spanish traditions in the Seville school style. His success came by combining Andalucian elements related to customs, regionalism, and symbolism.
Karla will explore a few of his paintings that attempt to eradicate the negative image of the Andalucian woman stereotyped by her colourful dress, silk shawl, upswept hair adorned with a carnation. The celebrated women of Bilboa's paintings during 1910-1913 are portrayed with great pride and emotion in their typical, most popular dress of the Sevillanas of the turn of the century.
This lesson will culminate in his 1915 painting, which acted as both a tribute to Prosper Merimee, the great French writer of the Romanticism movement and author of the novella Carmen, but also paid homage to the working women of Seville's famous cigar factory. Bilboa created a work of significant historical importance to the people of Seville.
