Eduardo Zamacois Oil Copper Return To The Monastery Carmen Thyssen

Description

19th Century oil painting on copper from the workshop of Eduardo Zamacois y Zabala titled "Return to the Monastery". Another version of this painting is housed in the Carmen Thyssen collection in Malaga, Spain. Provenance Subastas Alcala, Madrid. "A monk is struggling with a donkey at the door of a monastery, and his brethren are laughing at him. You laugh with them. You can't avoid it. In the dispute between the monk and the donkey the provisions have fallen to the ground. Here another profitable lesson is given. While overburdened with cares men seek an asylum in a monastery; but the donkey won't go in. In the picture the donkey has a very funny head. It is a head of exquisite finish. Many a man would like to have such a head. The monk pulls the bridle with all his strength, while his comrades are laughingly trying to unload the patient animal. Everyone who sees the picture instinctively asks whether the monk is not a greater ass than the donkey. It is pleasantly painted and charmingly colored. It is an innocent but powerful satire. Even monks laugh when they see it. They all know a brother who resembles the brother with the donkey". - From "ONE OF THE GREATEST MODERN PAINTERS" José Martí (The Sun, XLIX, 60 [NY, October 30, 1881], p. 3, col. 1-3.)

“Un hermano lucha con su asno a la puerta de la abadía mientras que otros se ríen de él. Hace reír, no se puede evitar. En el forcejeo de la bestia y el fraile las provisiones han caído al suelo. Aquí nos da otra lección provechosa: agobiados de preocupaciones, los hombres buscan refugio en un monasterio, pero el animal se resiste a entrar. El burro tiene una graciosa cabeza de tan nítido perfil que muchos hombres la envidiarían. El lego tira con toda su fuerza de la rienda mientras que sus divertidos compañeros intentan descargar el paciente animal. Todo el que ve este cuadro se pregunta si el religioso no es más torpe que el mismo asno. El cuadro está bellamente ejecutado con gratos colores. Es también una ingenua aunque aguda burla. Hasta los frailes se ríen al contemplarlo -todos conocen a un hermano que les recuerda al hermano del asno.”
– Extracto de “Uno de los más grandes pintores modernos” de José Martí (The Sun, XLIX, 60 [Nueva York, 30 de octubre de 1881], p. 3, col. 1-3.)