Ignacio Zuloaga

The sitter (commissioned from the artist); thence by descent to the present owner

Enrique Lafuente Ferrari La Vida y el Arte de Ignacio Zuloaga, Madrid, 1950, p. 247, no. 686, catalogued
Enrique Lafuente Ferrari, The Life and Work of Ignacio Zuloaga, Barcelona, 1991, p. 527, no. 686, catalogued

The canvas has not been lined. There is some light surface drying craquelure in her body and in her dress and very faint stretcher marks are visible along the vertical and horizontal stretcher bars. There are two pin-head sized holes in the extreme lower framing edge. Ultra-violet light reveals areas of retouching along the upper edge, some of which are visible to the naked eye. However, these are not too disturbing. The picture is virtually in original condition and ready to hang. Presented in a decorative gilt frame.
"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 circa 1938, Ignacio Zuloaga's striking portrait of Esther de Garay (neé Rodriguez Bauzá) perfectly combines the artist's Spanish roots and worldly sophistication with the elegance and finesse of his sitter.

Esther de Garay y Garay (1911-1985) was one of six daughters of  the Uruguayan industrialist Herminio Ramón Rodríguez Labandera y Fernández Llameria and his remarkable wife, collector and society hostess María Bauzá. Herminio and María had moved with their family to Spain in the 1920s, bringing with them an already burgeoning art collection. Despite the death of Herminio in the early 1930s, María installed herself with her children in the Palacio de Bermejillo, purchased from the Marquess of Bermejillo just before her husband died. In the succeeding years María pursued her passion for amassing a vast number of works of art to furnish the impressive home in Paseo del Cisne.

Old Master painters featured in the collection included El Greco, Ribera, Murillo and Cranach, while two rooms were devoted to the display of Spanish modern art, one featuring the work of Zuloaga, another that of Sorolla. Other artists of the period represented included Giménez Aranda, Raimundo de Madrazo, Julio Romero de Torres and Santiago Rusiñol. María kept an open house, the palace becoming a venue for informal events and tertulias particularly on Sundays when leading voices in the world of the Arts, Letters and Sciences gathered to present and exchange views on matters of the day.