Madrid
Ricardo Frederico de Madrazo y Garretta was born in Madrid into a family of artists of noble origin. His grandfather was José de Madrazo, painter and former director of the Prado Museum; His father was Federico de Madrazo, also a painter; His uncles were Luis de Madrazo, painter, Pedro de Madrazo, art critic, and Juan de Madrazo, architect; while his brother was Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, also a painter.1 His maternal grandfather was Tadeusz Kuntze, a Polish painter. The Madrazo family has been described as one of the most important painting dynasties, which literally dominated 19th century painting in Spain. He and his brother, Raimundo, initially studied art with his father. He later pursued formal studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando with Joaquín Espalter y Rull and the sculptors Ricardo Bellver and Ponciano Ponzano. In 1866 he became friends with Mariano Fortuny, who would have a great influence on his art and his life. The following year, Fortuny married his sister, Cecilia de Madrazo. She accompanied the Fortuny family to Toledo, and then went with him to Rome, where she studied at the Accademia Chiggi. Later, he and his brother Raimundo would work in the Fortuny workshop. De Madrazo returned to accompany Fortuny and his family when they moved to Paris and he dedicated himself to copying works in the Louvre and the Luxembourg Museum. During the Franco-Prussian War, he and Raimundo returned to Spain, settling in Granada.3 Later, he traveled to Morocco with Fortuny and José Tapiró y Baró, and then returned to Rome. He traveled to Morocco again after Fortuny's untimely death in 1874.1 After Fortuny's death, de Madrazo took up his study; He cataloged his works and organized an auction at the Hôtel Drouot in Paris.3 Meanwhile, her sister, Cecilia, dedicated the rest of her life to preserving the memory of her husband. After Fortuny's death, de Madrazo moved between Paris, Madrid and Tangier; He lived in Venice for a short period of time, married in 1884 and finally settled in Madrid in 1885 and used it as a base for annual trips to Paris and Venice.3 Once settled in Madrid, he began to focus on portraits , which were the specialty of the Madrazo family. Among those who visited him in his studio were Queen Mary Christina, philanthropist Archer Milton Huntington, French art collector Paul Durand-Ruel, and President William Taft.3 His knowledge of ancient art made him a sought-after advisor.
Madrid
