The Life and Origins of Vicente Albán

Vicente Albán was born in 1725 in Quito, Ecuador. His life was rooted in the Viceroyalty of New Granada, where he became a practitioner of the Quito School. He spent his active years between 1767 and 1796, working within a tradition that sought to document the people and the landscape of his home. His presence in the local art scene was marked by a steady hand and a focus on the specificities of his surroundings.

In his studio, Vicente Albán did not work in isolation. He collaborated with his brother, Francisco, sharing the labor and the technical demands of the craft. This partnership allowed him to maintain a consistent output during his decades of activity. His work emerged from a time when the visual representation of the territory was becoming a way to understand the social layers and the natural wealth of the region.

Patrons, Workshop and Commissions

Much of Albán's output was driven by the needs of José Celestino Mutis. Mutis sought to bring the local flora of the region into the minds of people far from these lands. This purpose shaped the way Albán approached his subjects, often placing figures alongside specific trees and fruits to serve a botanical interest. It is likely that the set of paintings now held by LACMA was commissioned by Mutis to serve as a gift for another significant patron who supported his expedition.

The production of these works often involved more than just the artist's own hand. Looking closely at the Madrid set, one can see signs that the paintings were likely created with the assistance of a workshop. This practice allowed for the creation of multiple versions of similar themes. In some instances, the artist may have even copied his own compositions to meet the demands of his patrons or to provide replicas for different collectors.

• Portrait of a principal lady with her black slave
• Indio Yumbo de Maynas with his load
• Portrait of the Bishop of Quito Manuel Blas Nephew

Technique and Artistic Style

Albán worked primarily with oil on canvas, focusing on the specific textures of the people and the landscape. His brushwork captures the details of native outfits, from the intricate patterns of a tupu fastening a mantle to the specific weave of a shoulder wrap. He often placed his subjects within open landscapes filled with local flora. These settings include various fruit trees, such as guava, custard apple, and pineapple, which hang from branches to show their ripeness. The plants are rendered with a clarity that highlights their physical form and the specific fruits they bear.

The paintings present a cross-section of social classes through their dress and adornment. He often depicted Indigenous Yumbo people and Latin American-born individuals in idealized ways, focusing on their traditional attire. There is a recurring use of gold and silver in these portraits, used to signal the wealth of the continent. The figures are frequently shown in a frontal position, which emphasizes the illustrative nature of the work. This approach allows for a close look at the clothing and the specific items people carried, such as small bags for coca leaves.

• Indio Yumbo de Quito with feather costumes (about 1783)
• India en traje de gala (about 1783)
• Yndio yumbo de Maynas con su carga (about 1783)

Where to See the Works Today

His paintings are scattered across several institutions, often found in collections that focus on the history of people and the natural world. In Madrid, you can find his work within the Museum of America. Other pieces are held in the Ethnographic Section of the National Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Natural Sciences of Madrid. These locations house the various studies of social classes and local flora he produced during his active years.

The reach of his work extends beyond Spain. In the United States, some of his paintings are held at LACMA. In South America, the National Museum of Ecuador held his works for about 90 days in 2018 before they were returned to the Museum of America of Madrid.