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Student Artwork Guide

Spring

Name Class Date

Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela, Spring. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela topimpressionists.com/en/artists/mariano-barbasan/
Artist’s dates
1864 – 1924

In context

Spring — Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1860
  2. 1870
  3. 1880
  4. 1890
  5. 1900
  6. 1910
  7. 1920

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 60 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela (1864–1924) every dated painting, decade by decade

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

  • Church scene topimpressionists.com/en/art/mariano-barbasan-church-scene-8LSKVW-en/
  • Study of flowers topimpressionists.com/en/art/mariano-barbasan-study-of-flowers-8LSKX7-en/
  • Joseph son of Jacob, in jail topimpressionists.com/en/art/mariano-barbasan-joseph-son-of-jacob-in-jail-8LSKWC-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/mariano-barbasan-spring-8LSKX2-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Espresso #3a320c

    Catalogued palette

    • #3A320C
    • #B7AC90
    • #8C7930
    • #5B5524

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Dark The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Espresso
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Gentle How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Unified Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Clear Color Presence How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela over the last twelve months — 3 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 86.4%1,900 visits
    2. 2 Hong Kong 9.1%200 visits
    3. 3 India 4.5%100 visits

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela

    1. 1 Last Moments of the market 8.7%200 visits
    2. 2 Don Pedro III the Great in the hill of the Paniza 1 8.7%200 visits
    3. 3 Decoration for a billiard room 8.7%200 visits
    4. 4 St Blas and the Holy Family 4.3%100 visits
    5. 5 The chestnut 4.3%100 visits
    6. 6 Love in the courtyard 4.3%100 visits
    7. 7 The procession on the day of San Pedro 4.3%100 visits
    8. 8 Gate of Tivoli 4.3%100 visits
    9. 9 Piazza of Retama 4.3%100 visits
    10. 10 Spring this painting 4.3%100 visits
    11. 11 Olive trees 4.3%100 visits
    12. 12 Milking time 4.3%100 visits
    13. 13 The country of Fra Diavolo 4.3%100 visits
    14. 14 Square in Retama 4.3%100 visits
    15. 15 Idill 4.3%100 visits
    16. 16 The procession of the Holy Sacrement 4.3%100 visits
    17. 17 Cavallery 4.3%100 visits
    18. 18 Sky and roofs 4.3%100 visits
    19. 19 Women Sewing And Spinning In Anticoli 1 4.3%100 visits
    20. 20 Anticoli woman kneeling 4.3%100 visits

    Together these works take 99.2% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 66 works by this artist, of which 20 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 10 of them, with 4.3% of that attention (100 visits). The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela

    Born in Zaragoza, Spain

    Mariano Barbasán: A Painter of Spanish Landscapes and Genre Scenes

    Mariano Barbasán (1864-1924) stands as a prominent figure in late 19th-century Spanish painting, celebrated for his masterful depictions of everyday life alongside breathtaking landscapes imbued with Orientalist sensibilities. Born in Zaragoza, Spain, Barbasán’s artistic journey unfolded against the backdrop of a period marked by burgeoning Realism and a fascination with exotic locales – influences that profoundly shaped his oeuvre and cemented his place within the canon of Spanish art history.

    Early Life & Artistic Training:

    Notable Works: Genre Scenes & Landscapes

    Orientalist Inspirations & Technique

    Recognition & Legacy

    Early Life & Artistic Training

    Barbasán’s formative years were spent in Zaragoza, where he received a comprehensive artistic education. Details regarding his formal training remain somewhat sparse, but it is understood that he studied at the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes Reina Sofía in Madrid, absorbing the tenets of Realism championed by artists like Joaquín Sorolla and Cristóbal Goya – masters who prioritized truthful representation over idealized beauty. This grounding in classical principles would prove instrumental in shaping Barbasán’s distinctive artistic style.

    Notable Works: Genre Scenes & Landscapes

    Barbasán's artistic output encompassed a diverse range of subjects, with genre scenes dominating his repertoire. He captured the vibrancy of Spanish rural life – bustling marketplaces, spirited festivals, and intimate domestic interiors – portraying figures with remarkable accuracy and psychological insight. Simultaneously, Barbasán possessed an undeniable talent for landscape painting, producing canvases that transported viewers to dramatic vistas across Spain and beyond. Pieces like “The Country of Fra Diavolo” exemplify his ability to convey atmospheric grandeur through textured impasto and masterful use of light and color. Furthermore, "Grid" showcases the artist's skill in capturing urban environments with a keen eye for detail.

    Orientalist Inspirations & Technique

    Beyond the confines of Spain’s Iberian Peninsula, Barbasán ventured into Orientalism – a movement that sought to depict Eastern cultures and landscapes with romanticized grandeur. His fascination with Persia and Morocco is evident in works such as “Drawing of the son of Barbasán,” where he skillfully blended realistic observation with stylistic embellishments characteristic of the genre. He employed techniques honed by masters like Alexandre Cabanel, prioritizing meticulous detail and luminous color palettes to evoke a sense of exotic allure.

    Recognition & Legacy

    Barbasán’s artistic achievements garnered considerable acclaim during his lifetime, securing him membership in prestigious academies and establishing him as a respected figure within the Spanish art community. His paintings continue to resonate with collectors and scholars alike, appreciated for their stylistic sophistication and emotional depth. Mariano Barbasán's contribution to Realism and Orientalist painting ensures that his legacy persists as an enduring testament to the artistic spirit of the Belle Époque—a period defined by both intellectual curiosity and aesthetic ambition.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Spring

    topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/mariano-barbasan-spring-8LSKX2-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Lagueruela, Mariano Barbasán. Spring. n.d., https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/mariano-barbasan-spring-8LSKX2-en/
    APA
    Lagueruela, Mariano Barbasán (n.d.). Spring [Painting]. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/mariano-barbasan-spring-8LSKX2-en/
    Chicago
    Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela. Spring. n.d. https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/mariano-barbasan-spring-8LSKX2-en/
    Harvard
    Lagueruela, Mariano Barbasán (n.d.) Spring. Available at: https://topimpressionists.com/en/art/mariano-barbasan-spring-8LSKX2-en/

    Look closely

    Spring — Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: spring. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Church scene, earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. What might the artist have wanted you to feel?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Questions & Answers

    Can I examine "Spring" in more detail?

    The X-Ray view of "Spring" by Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela is on the artwork's X-Ray page: an interactive examination of the image through eleven optical layers.

    How many people view "Spring"?

    Statistics about "Spring" by Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela are on the artwork's Stats page: monthly visits of the artwork, visits of the artist's works, and country and language breakdowns of recent visitors.

    Can the image of "Spring" by Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela be freely reproduced?

    The copyright answer for "Spring" by Mariano Barbasán Lagueruela: the work is in the public domain - its copyright has expired. This determines whether reproductions of the image may be freely made.