Vicente Castelló y Amat

VICENTE CASTELLÓ Y AMAT (Valencia, 1787 - 1860)
"Still life".
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 71 x 54.5 cm; 83.5 x 67 cm (frame)

This still life, resolved with great mastery, stands out for its meticulous treatment of the textures and qualities, capturing with fidelity the diversity of the surfaces: the smooth and juicy skin of the bunches of grapes, the fleshy shine of the red peppers, the freshness of the lettuce and the plumage of the birds, arranged next to the wicker basket. The setting evokes a traditional kitchen, where domestic life is insinuated in the details: overhead, a wood-burning oven heats a frying pan, while jars and jugs occupy the shelves. The composition, balanced and harmonious, reveals the influence of the Spanish Baroque in the still life tradition, but with a more luminous Mediterranean approach, typical of the Valencian school.

A Valencian painter mainly active during the first half of the 19th century, Vicente Castelló trained as a disciple of Vicente López, who introduced him to King Carlos IV. The latter exempted him from military service, although Castelló eventually entered combat during the War of Independence. He was a notable painter of religious themes, and also taught at the Academy of Fine Arts of San Carlos, where he held the position of professor of antique drawing. He was also an academician of merit of this same institution. Among his main works are the five medallions made for the nave of the parish church of El Salvador, the paintings of the chapel of San Antonio de Padua in the parish church of Santa Catalina and a "San Andrés" located in the Archbishop's Palace. Also, outside the religious genre we find a series of still lifes for the Marquise of Jura-Real, several fruit bowls and a portrait of Juan de Dios Montañés. Castelló is currently represented in the Provincial Museum of Valencia.