Jean-Baptiste Achille Zo

(Bayonne, 1826 – Bordeaux, 1901)

Vendedor de fruta en Sevilla (Fruit Seller in Seville)

ca. 1864

oil on canvas

116.3 x 89.6 cm

Inv. no. P01666

BBVA Collection Spain



The discovery of Spanish popular iconography, closely related to Orientalism due to its perceived exoticism, was a key moment in the history of French nineteenth-century painting. Its picturesque aesthetics, particularly when it corresponded to the south of Spain, met with an enthusiastic response from public and critics alike, and ensured a stable clientele. The resounding success of this subject matter at the
from 1850 onwards encouraged many painters to seek first-hand knowledge of the visual imagery offered by Spain’s people and customs. Among those painters was Achille Zo, regarded as one of the most outstanding Hispanic-Orientalist painters from the second half of the nineteenth century.

His trips to southern Spain were instrumental in consolidating his career, because, apart from providing him with a significant iconographic repertoire, they allowed him to shape his own personal style. In his journey throughout Andalusia in 1860 the artist visited Seville, Cordoba and Granada, and drew sketches from life that he would later use for his paintings. His oeuvre was basically composed of traditional genre scenes, which earned him wide success and prestige throughout his career.

That is the case of Vendedor de fruta en Sevilla (Fruit Seller in Seville), a superb example of his mid-career period, defined by compositional balance and technical prowess. Everything in this work has been painstakingly executed: from the arrangement of the scene to the placement of the signature. It reveals an interest in the study of the figure and its surrounding elements, defined by a colourful palette and great luminosity, very much in tune with the local range of colours. The artist makes the most of the simplicity of the scene, creating a harmonious whole with a romantic touch which is further intensified in the image of the Andalusian fruit seller. One may trace the influence of Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) in the control shown in the drawing of the figure and in its technical quality. Executed with assertive brushwork, it is an evident example of realistic portraiture which not only captures the character’s physiognomy, but also his charisma and individual psychology.

Exhibited for the first time at the 1864
, this painting became popular after Théophile Gautier spoke highly about it in his review of the show. The French writer, who was also infatuated with Spain, considered Zo to be one of the painters who best conveyed the essence of Spain. In his report on the salon, the art critic Edmond About also praised the quality of this work and mentioned the inventory number (1992), whose label is preserved on the front of the frame. After its presentation in Paris, the work was exhibited at the Exposição Internacional do Porto in 1865, where it was purchased by King Ferdinand II of Portugal (1816-1885) for his private collection and put on view in the Music Room at
in Lisbon. The king was fascinated with this type of composition, very much in tune with picturesque Post-
.

The label on the frame indicating the work’s inventory number at the 1864
confirms that it is the original frame that was expressly made for this painting. As was customary at the time, it is made of conifer wood, probably pinewood, highly appreciated for its robustness and quality and particularly suitable for carving and gilding given its excellent stability. This is what is called a
; particularly noteworthy is the moulding carved with three small decorated steps; the central frieze with
moulding; and the edge, decorated with laurel leaves, berries, crosshead and double figure-eight knots in the outer section. Plated in 34-carat fine gold, it was made using the techniques of
and
, interspersing shiny and matte gold to achieve a greater visual effect. It is worth pointing out that in the second half of the nineteenth century, framing gradually became a more mechanical procedure, what makes this case a unique example of top quality craftsmanship.