Three Spanish Figures
ClassificationsPaintings-oils
Artist
Charles Percy Austin
(American, 1883 - 1948)
Datec. 1915
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions43 1/2 × 55 in. (110.5 × 139.7 cm)
Credit LineGift of Mr. Ralph J. Steven
Object number32195C
DescriptionCalifornia paintings referencing the rancho days relied on the viewer’s acceptance of the conflation of California and Spain, as well as familiarity with stock characters and themes. The man’s traditional attire—his headscarf, cummerbund, sandals, and serape—were common to both the Iberian Peninsula and 19th century California. The purple mountains and sunlit spaces allude to perfect climate and diverse topography, while the overflowing basket of oranges symbolizes agricultural wealth and fertility. California was being promoted as America’s little corner of the Old World, it’s Spanish legacy embodying cultural capital. This is one of three works by Charles Percy Austin to be donated to the museum in 1964 by Ralph Steven, who was married to Austin's sister, Martha. On View
On viewCollections
William James Oliphant
Early 20th Century
ca. 1890
