Portrait Of Miquel Llambías Rosselló 1882

Joan Brull painted this portrait of Miquel Llambías Rosselló with oil. The subject’s formal attire speaks to the rising bourgeois class of the late 19th century, as does the somber color palette. The black suit is a symbol of formality, power, and respectability, tracing back to 17th century Spain and then 19th century England, used in portraits of aristocrats and wealthy merchants alike. Note how Rosselló's stern gaze engages us directly, a technique to convey authority but also vulnerability—an echo of ancient Roman portraiture, where verism in depicting wrinkles and age was valued. This directness can be found resurfacing through history; each iteration laden with the anxieties and aspirations of its age, forever evolving and eternally resonant.