Masqueraders

• Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta
• (1841–1920)
• 1875–1878
• Oil on canvas
• Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
• (1975.1.233)

Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, celebrated for his portraits and genre scenes, exhibited this work at the 1878 Paris World’s Fair, where it won first prize. The painting depicts a man and woman at a masquerade ball, enjoying a private moment in a sunlit conservatory. True to Madrazo’s skill in rendering varied textures—fur, metal, marble, flowers, glass, and porcelain—the brilliant colors of the sumptuous costumes and the lush green backdrop create a cheerful and lively atmosphere.