Attributed to PEDRO ORRENTE (Murcia, 1580 - Valencia, 1645). "Genesis 23". Pair of oil paintings on canvas. They present restorations Measurements

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Oct 20, 2021

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  Attributed to PEDRO ORRENTE (Murcia, 1580 - Valencia, 1645). "Genesis 23". Pair of oil paintings on canvas. They present restorations Measurements: 93 x 37 cm (x2); 114 x 90 cm (frames, x2). This pair of canvases has been conceived with a similar composition, constructed through a succession of planes, dominated by the vegetation in the right area of each of the scenes. Both paintings depict scenes of genre scenes, but they differ from each other in that while in one picture the figures are doing their work, in the other they are gathered around a table and interacting in a relaxed manner. The ochre and warm tones are largely reminiscent of the palette used by Pedro Orrente. Furthermore, in the two apparently genre-themed works, the artist conceals religious themes, such as the passage from Genesis 23, which narrates Abraham's reaction after the death of his wife Sarah, while the other scene narrates the moment when Abraham converses with the sons of Heth. Known as "the Spanish Bassano", Pedro Orrente was a highly successful artist of his day, admired as a follower of the formulas of the famous Venetian family of artists, particularly in his series of Old Testament themes set in lush landscapes. He lived in several Spanish cities, moving from his native Murcia to Toledo at a very young age, where he was already in 1600. If the fame of the Bassano family's works was enormous throughout Spain, the climate in the Castilian city must have been particularly receptive to their painting, as the works of the best masters who worked there attest. It is therefore not surprising that Orrente, who shortly afterwards travelled to Italy, went to Venice, where we find him as early as 1605. It is quite reasonable to think that he passed through the workshop of Leandro Bassano, whom Jusepe Martínez classified as his master. In 1607 he was already back in Spain, settled in Murcia. He continued to visit other Spanish cities, especially Toledo and Valencia, although he must also have spent time in Madrid. During his stay in Venice he must not only have learned the Bassano family's pictorial manner, but also their conception of painting as a market-oriented activity. His treatment of sacred themes as genre scenes would be fundamental in this respect. These were, above all, lively series of biblical stories with which fans could be flattered by the variety and dynamism of the works, populated by a large number of characters set in landscapes and accompanied by all kinds of animals and everyday objects. Contemporary inventories cite a large number of works by Orrente, so we can deduce that in order to produce such a large output the painter must have had a very well-constituted workshop that repeated the models established by the master. This circumstance also explains the enormous differences in quality that can be found in the catalogued works of this artist. However, although he was already noted in ancient sources for his Bassanesque canvases, Orrente also demonstrated his expertise and versatility in other types of work. Having had first-hand knowledge of the creations of the great Venetian masters, he was able to adopt the teachings of Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese for his works. Furthermore, his possible visit to Rome placed him in a privileged position to become familiar with the development of Caravaggist painting and the interest in naturalism, characteristics that he was able to add to his own works. Works by Pedro Orrente are now in the Prado Museum, the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Fine Arts Museums of Bilbao and Valencia and the National Gallery of Denmark, among many others.
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