José Rico y Cejudo (Spanish, 1864-1939)

Oil-on-panel, signed and retaining paper label on reverse.

José Rico y Cejudo was born in Seville, Spain on March 27, 1864. He was the student of M. Ussel and J. Garcia Ramos at the School of Fine Arts in Seville. Eduardo Cano also played a role in the education of Cejudo as Cejudo would often pay visits to the artist's studio. In 1888 he received a scholarship to study painting in Rome for seven years. While in Rome, he made visits to the studios of his fellow countrymen José Villegas and José Gallegos. After his experiences in Rome, he returned to work in southern Spain. Cejudo taught art classes at the School of Fine Arts in Malaga from 1905. He exhibited his works and won various medals such as a first place medal at Grenada in 1902, and a medal at the National Society of Fine Arts in 1910. Cejudo specialized in painting "anecdotal scenes from everyday life, often portraying his figures in gardens, patios and other intimate spaces. His paintings are characterized by a bright, luminous palette." Some of his works are held in museum collections in Cadiz, Spain; London, England; Madrid and Seville, Spain.
He is listed in Benezit, Dictionnaire des Peintres,..., and Sotheby's catalog, 19th Century European Paintings and Sculpture (October 24, 1996).
Also listed in Cien Años de pintura en España y Portugal, 1830-1930.