José María Rodríguez

JOSÉ MARÍA RODRÍGUEZ DE LOSADA (Seville, 1826 - Jerez de la Frontera, 1896)
"Saint John with the Child".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It presents restorations.
It has a XIX century frame.
Measurements: 128 x 101 cm; 140 x 111 cm (frame).

Saint Joseph is presented with the Child standing on his lap, in a family scene full of tenderness. The ocher and bluish tones oscillate between them, merging and resulting in a peaceful image, where the color is harmoniously related, without hallmarks or discordant elements. The representation of St. Joseph with Child in 19th century Spanish painting is significant not only for its artistic value, but also for its symbolic and cultural significance. This figure, which fuses Christian tradition with elements of history and mythology, reflects the search for a national identity in a period of social and political change. The image of the saint, often associated with protection and fatherhood, becomes a symbol of resilience and hope in times of uncertainty. In addition, his representation next to the Child evokes the connection between spirituality and fertility, themes that resonated deeply in Spanish society at the time, making these works powerful vehicles for message and reflection.

José María Rodríguez de Losada began his apprenticeship in Seville, but developed all his pictorial activity in Jerez de la Frontera. He cultivated history and portrait painting, although in his beginnings he devoted himself to genre painting, as evidenced by his work Pareja de majos, from 1843. The artistic style of Rodríguez de Losada," Valdivieso assures Valdivieso, "shows a loose and scrubbed brushstroke, sometimes careless and summary. This technique, healthy in principle because of its modernity, was rejected at the time by critics, especially for being accompanied by a violent coloring with a predominance of brownish tones that, in effect, produce little visual gratitude." In fact, this artist denotes in his works a marked influence of romanticism, which is reflected in an intense dramatism both thematically and formally, very different from the cheerful and friendly feeling of the paintings of many of his contemporaries.

Among his most important historical works are Desembarco de Colón en América (University of Barcelona), La batalla de Alcolea (Academia de Historia) and Doña Juana la Loca con el cadáver de su esposo (Museo de Cádiz). Rodríguez de Losada was also inspired by literature and art for the realization of some of his works, such as El bravo alcalde del Zahara, Quevedo reading an epigram against the Count Duke of Olivares or Valdés Leal inspired to paint the Postrimerías. Of neo-Romantic inspiration were paintings such as Una viuda encontrando el cadáver de su esposo en el campo de batalla (1858), and as a portraitist, the portrait of Alfonso XII (Diputación de Cádiz) stands out. He also painted religious themes and some still lifes, as shown in Dead Duck (1884). Belonging to the Order of Santiago and corresponding academician of San Fernando, Rodríguez de Losada participated for several years in the National Exhibitions of Fine Arts, being awarded with honorable mention in the editions of 1858 and 1867. He was also awarded the silver medal of Carlos III at the Seville Exhibition of 1843, the gold medal at those organized by the Academy of Santa Isabel de Hungría in Seville in 1854 and 1856, and also the gold medal at the exhibition organized by the Amigos del País in 1858. Currently, his work can be seen in the Prado Museum and in the Provincial Museum of Cadiz, as well as in other art collections, both public and private.