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The Eldorado of the Portrait Painter - Munsey's Magazine New York
From Caffin, Charles.H.
1904
“The Work of Antonio de la Gandara.
A few years ago an exhibition was held in New York of portraits by Antonio de la Gandara, a Spaniard who lives in Paris. Among the pictures was a portrait of Mrs. Burke-Roche. The treatment of a full-sized standing figure in a narrow canvass, originally derived from Velasquez, was made popular by Whistler, and it is the latter’s portraits which Gandara’s recall. This need not imply that the Spaniard has been a copyist of the older artist, but only that he sought for similar things through somewhat similar means. And the thing sought by both is the very antithesis of what Zorn and Sargent seek.
By comparison, the latter painters are intent upon the obvious; while Gandara, like Whistler, aims at subtler quality which pervades the thing seen, as fragrance clings around the flower. I think a study even of the reproduction of this portrait makes the difference clear. It exhibits a certain mystery; piques our imagination, and does not wholly satisfy it. It is very stimulating to have a man’s thigh represented, as in Cleveland portrait, with such actuality that one feels one could pinch it and find it solidly elastic. Sargent’s portraits, with an abundance of variety, suggest a corresponding enjoyment of the appearance of things; but it is quite possible to grow weary of obviousness; to realize that what is most interesting in man and woman is neither their clothes nor what is visible on the surface. Then it is that the man who has imagination enough to feel that there is allurement in what is not appreciable to sight and touch, attracts us. Gandara is one of these.
In his love of the long sweep of line, such as Velasquez drew, he may have taken certain liberties with the neck of this lady; but, if so, it has been to increase our enjoyment, as it did his, in – shall I call it ?- the vigorous languor of this tall, flower-like form, clipped so closely by its white stain costume. The portrait has a distinction, not merely of technical style, but of personality. Further, it has what the French call diablerie; not the wanton kind, but that unexpectedness and flavour, appreciable yet evasive, which envelopes a beautiful woman.
A Painter of Prettiness. A comparison of this portrait with the ‘Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt’ by Raimundo de Madrazo should make clear, even to one not accustomed to look at pictures critically, that the former has more style and dignity. (…)”