SPANISH SCHOOL (19th century) "The priest Merino"

Oil on canvas This is a portrait of Jerónimo Merino Cob (Villoviado, Burgos, 1769-Alenzón, 1844), known as "El Cura Merino", a priest and guerrilla leader during the Spanish War of Independence. This historically important work was part of the collection of Dr. Gregorio Marañón, and as his biographers say, it was one of his favourite works and one of the few that accompanied him during his exile in Paris during the Civil War and part of the Second World War. The work hung in the office of his Parisian practice and later in his home in Madrid. Apparently, Marañón had a great interest in exploring Merino's life in humanistic terms and wrote notes for an essay on the subject. Provenance: - Gregorio Marañón Collection - Private collection, London Measurements: 64 x 58 cm