The list of the original inheritance of Pérez de Castro cited the ‘Caravaggio’

El inventario de obras de arte que Evaristo Pérez de Castro dejó en herencia a su familia hace dos siglos incluía la mención expresa de un eccehomo de Caravaggio. Este dato refuerza la atribución de los expertos que han examinado ese cuadro, que iba a salir a subasta a través de la casa Ansorena el pasado 8 de abril, pero presentado como obra del círculo de Ribera y con un precio de 1.500 euros. Los herederos de Pérez de Castro han declarado que desconocían la autoría del artista italiano del siglo XVI, lo cual implica que esa valiosa información se perdió en algún momento de una generación a otra. Los expertos calculan que en España el cuadro puede valer entre 20 y 30 millones de euros, y más de 130 si se hubiera podido sacar a la venta en el extranjero, lo que fue impedido por Cultura al conocerse las sospechas sobre la autoría.

Evaristo Pérez de Castro starred in a vibrant chapter of the history of Spain as one of the editors of the Constitution of 1812, which also presided over the Government under the regency of María Cristina.Two centuries later his figure reappears as the owner of a select art collection as demonstrated by the inventory of the pieces that he retained until his death, collected in the Madrid protocols archive and to which the country has had access.This center managed by the Community of Madrid custody the centenary protocols of the notarial districts of the region.

In the inventory written by hand with the floriture of the writing of the time, on the first page, in third place, the Eccehomo 'attributed to Caravaggio who exchanged for a San Juan Bautista de Alonso Cano with the Academy of Fine Arts of Fine Arts ofSan Fernando in 1823.The canvas is now owned by a part of its current heirs, the three children of Antonio Pérez de Castro.

Pedro J..Martínez, conservative of the Prado and author of the book collecting painting in Madrid during the 19.960 reais of the time, in addition to prints and an extensive library, among other pieces ”.In the nineteenth century the piece was valued at 16.000 reais, the second most expensive work of the collection of Evarist.Martínez explains that this appraiser “had a good eye and criteria, he knew very well the real and other private collections.If you appraised it at that price it is because it was the best of the collection ”.

Pérez de Castro was part of a small group of characters (less than a dozen), all linked to the San Fernando Academy, of which he was part since 1800, which were putting small collections between 100 and 150 pieces.Everyone knew each other.They drink coffee with artists, collectors.They gathered in their homes and visited the collections of each other.Works always in good condition because they worried about having them adecent, some even had workshops in their own homes.

The works of Pérez de Castro that appear in the will are numbered in a topographic way, that is, Vicente López was a room per room cataloging them, respecting the disposition in which the liberal politician had them exposed them.These numbers, Martínez says, were able to be painted or hung on labels in the pieces.A reference that over the years has disappeared, according to the images that have transcended the picture that the current Pérez de Castro tried to sell in Ansorena."It is striking that the Caravaggio Eccehom.

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The way Pérez de Castro got his Caravaggio Eccehomo, Martínez explains, was usual: “Most of these swapSo when the king is more or less kidnapped ".The conservative recalls that these exchanges also occurred with the Prado Museum, “sometimes more generous to the collector than for the museum.A very relevant example was that of Manuel López Cepero, a deputy of Seville who more or less shell with the Prince of Anglona, director of the Prado Museum at that time, gave two zurbaranes in exchange for a good number of paintings ”.

Banks, goyas and young promises

Pérez de Castro also acquired pieces of riverbank (San Jerónimo or La Avaricia), by Alonso Cano (San Francisco de Asís, the work that the current heirs sold for 12.000 euros at the same Ansorena auction where the case Caravaggio) or Velázquez (portrait of Covarrubias) went on sale).He also collected three Goya paintings related to the War of Independence, one of which was a sketch that the Academy considered years later as the painter's original, Martínez writes in his book.It is also likely that Goya knew the paintings of Pérez de Castro.The painter portrayed the politician as he did with many other art lovers of the time."He is one of Goya's fantastic portraits," says an expert in the artist who confirms that the liberal politicFrench march Paul Durand-Ruel that, in turn, had bought it from the Spanish collector Manuel Soler and Alarcón.It is interesting that Goya draws him with a carboncillo holder in his hand and papers that give the feeling he has just drawn.

Martínez does not know what kind of relationship they had, but ensures that Pérez de Castro's interest in Goya's work goes beyond the mere aesthetic appreciation.“It owned the 33 engravings to the Goya etc..This is one of the latest recorded series of the artist, ”he says when reviewing the inventory.“These framed prints were also common in these years;What is already more strange."It indicates some interest, because they are no longer prints to decorate, but to" enjoy "or learn from them".

Another particularities of Pérez de Castro was his taste for contemporary artists of his time.“He bought the work of Genaro Pérez Villaamil (two vacations and interior of the church of San Andrés), Juan Gálvez (a fire) and José Felipe Parra (Branch of Flores).At that time it was unique to bet on this type of new authors, ”continues Martínez.Three painters who also reinforced the weight that Flemish painting had in the collection and in which authors of the French school are listed."His interest in young people could also be due to the status of landscape officer of his own son Pedro Pérez de Castro [1823-1902]," Martínez writes.

The legacy of Pérez de Castro divided his death between his widow Francisca de Brito (for which he ordered to make an album of drawings in which they participated among others, Juan Antonio de Ribera and his son Carlos Luis, José de Madrazo and his sonFederico de Madrazo) and his four children.“Once the collection has been distributed among its heirs, the usual in the nineteenth century is that the works were sold.From my experience, what usually remains to families are pictures of lower value and quality, unless they did not know what they had, ”explains the conservative.The case Caravaggio has remained for more than 200 years in the same family, according to Jorge Coll, the antiquarian responsible for the study, restoration and sale of painting by designation of the family.

"Donations were very strange at the time.The Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando received more works, ”says Martínez.For this reason the work of this conservative and student of art, as of so many others, runs into frustration when he tries to follow the track of this type of artistic sets that in most cases end up in private hands.“Maybe Evaristo Pérez de Castro has meant the beginning of others.It is the natural dissolution of these collections, ”he concludes.