Julio Romero de Torres Córdoba 1874-1930

Arturo Uriarte y Piñero (purchased from the artist in 1930)
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires (bequeathed by the above in 1941)
Returned to the descendants of the Uriarte y Piñero family, 1991 
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Seville, Iberoamerican Exhibition, Pabellón de Córdoba, 1930

Pedro Massa, Romero de Torres, Buenos Aires, 1942, no. 82

This condition report has been provided by Hamish Dewar, Hamish Dewar Ltd. Fine Art Conservation, 14 Masons Yard, Duke Street, St James's, London SW1Y 6BU. Structural Condition The canvas is lined and securely attached to a wooden keyed stretcher. This is providing a stable support. Paint Surface Under ultraviolet some retouchings can be seen. The majority of these appear in the plate. Others can be seen in the woman's chin, neck and arm and in the background particularly in the lower left corner and around the framing edges. These are all small spots and flecks and would appear to be covering small areas of paint loss. Some have discoloured and are visible under natural light. There is a very yellow and opaque varnish layer visible under ultraviolet light. Summary The painting therefore appears to be in good and stable condition and cleaning may be considered.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Painted at the end of the 1920s Amparo is one of Romero de Torres' great late portraits of Andalusian beauties. Others of similar rank that he executed at this time include La Chiquita piconera, Rivalidad and Fuensanta. These three works were among the twenty-seven paintings selected by the artist for the retrospective celebrating his life's work mounted in the Córdoba Pavilion at the Ibéroamericana fair in Seville in 1930.

After the exhibition Arturo Uriarte y Piñero acquired the present work together with Rivalidad and two other paintings for his residence in Buenos Aires. The brothers Leopoldo and Arturo Uriarte y Piñero were both physicians in Argentina, sons of a merchant in Vizcaya. Leopoldo was also a highly-respected scientist who carried out research on the bubonic plague in Argentina and worked for the Bacteriological Institute, now named the Instituto Malbrán in memory of his colleague and friend Dr. Malbrán. Leopoldo represented Argentina in several medical congresses and donated the Pasteur Pavilion to the Instituto Malbrán. 

When Leopoldo died in 1942, Arturo donated his painting collection to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de Argentina on the condition that the pictures should never leave the country nor be removed from the museum's walls. Those conditions were breached and the collection returned to the descendants of Arturo Uriarte y Piñero from whom the present owner acquired Amparo.

Although the identity of the sitter is unknown, Romero de Torres also painted an oil study of the model's face in 1929, which was used by the magazine Blanco y Negro for their almanac of that year.

Born into a rich artistic heritage, Romero de Torres followed in the footsteps of his  father, the painter Rafael Romero Barros, who was also the founder, director and curator of Córdoba's Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes. Beginning his artistic studies at the age of ten, Romero de Torres attended the Escuela de Bellas Artes until 1906, when he moved to Madrid to work and study. Although Romero de Torres spent most of his life in Madrid and his birthplace of Córdoba, his extensive travels in Europe and Argentina opened his eyes to alternative interpretations of Symbolism, Realism and Impressionism.