Ricardo Balaca y Orejas-Canseco

The work of Balaca and Orejas-Cansec (1844 - 1880) is located at a moment of transition between the romantic generation and the era of artistic eclecticism that characterized the second half of the 19th century. His exceptional skill in representing battle scenes and his contribution to the art of his time make in Balaca and Orejas-Cansec a relevant artist in the history of 19th century Spanish painting. 
Son of the painter José Balaca, who went into exile in Portugal for political reasons. The family returned to Spain in 1850, after a pardon granted to Espartero. Ricardo's artistic training Balaca and Orejas-Cansec He began in his family's studio and continued at the Higher School of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving in Madrid, where he had the opportunity to be a disciple of Federico Madrazo. From a young age, Balaca and Orejas-Cansec He demonstrated an exceptional talent for art, impressively participating, at the age of 13, in the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Spain, where he received an honorable mention. Balaca and Orejas-Cansec he married Teresa Vergara Domínguez, with whom he had three children. Unfortunately, his life was short, as he died at the age of 37, on February 12, 1880, in Aravaca.
The work of Balaca and Orejas-Cansec It encompassed several artistic disciplines, including drawing, graphic illustration, portraiture, costume scenes, and depictions of battles. He specialized in painting battle scenes, a genre that experienced a renaissance during the period of Romanticism in the 19th century. During the Third Carlist War, he was appointed correspondent by the Ministry of War and created a series of works that documented the events of the conflict. Among his most notable works are "The Battle of Almansa" and "The Battle of Bailén", both on display at the Prado Museum, in Madrid. Furthermore, he produced notable portraits, such as the "Portrait of Teresa Vergara" and the "Portrait of Inocencia Serrano y Cerver, Marquesa de Cerralbo". Ricardo Balaca y Orejas-Canseco he also contributed to the world of graphic illustration, producing illustrations for editions of Don Quixote and collaborating in several magazines of the time.
Despite his premature death, his legacy endures through his works that are still displayed in important museums in Spain.
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