Description
In 1859, Rico received a scholarship to study in France. Rejected as a pupil by Daubigny, Rico turned to sketching outdoor river scenes near Paris on his own. He was encouraged in these pursuits by Alexandre Calame, the Swiss view-painter, and was later befriended by Camille Pissarro. His art, however, reflected the influence of the light-drenched landscapes of his countryman Mariano Fortuny more than the works of the impressionists.
In an orange grove are three donkeys with panniers, a dog, a man and boy gathering fruit, and two seated women, all rendered in the small scale characteristic of Rico's figures. Behind is a town that was traditionally identified as Toledo, and above, a brilliant sky with scattered clouds.
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