A Sketch

Created in 1862, this sketch dates from a pivotal period in Mariano Fortuny's career—the same years he was working on his monumental masterpiece 'The Battle of Tetuan' (1862-64). Just three years earlier, the Spanish government had sent the young artist to Morocco to document the Spanish-Moroccan War, and those battlefield sketches became the foundation for years of work. This piece reflects Fortuny's practice of constant drawing and observation, whether capturing exotic Moroccan subjects, imagined historical scenes, or studies for larger compositions. At just 24 years old, Fortuny was already demonstrating the vivacious, iridescent brushwork that would define his mature style—a technique that recalled the softness of Rococo painting while anticipating Impressionist freedom. His sketches and etchings were essential to his process, allowing him to work through ideas and capture fleeting moments of light and movement. During this period, Fortuny was dividing his time between Rome, where he had studied at the Academia Gigi, and Spain, where he exhibited his Moroccan war sketches to great acclaim. Whether this sketch depicts a Moroccan subject from his 1859 travels or another theme, it represents the artist's constant exploration of light, color, and decorative detail that would make his finished paintings so sought-after by collectors across Europe.