Antonio Maria Fabrés Biography | Oil Painting Reproductions

Antonio Maria Fabrés inherited his artistic skills, as his father was a draughtsman and his uncle a silversmith. He started studying at the Escola de la Llotja in his native city at the age of 13. When he turned 21, he received a grant to study in Rome. He joined Marià Fortuny with a group that became known for their realism and their notoriety grew with the as the bourgeoisie taste grew for exotic images with Oriental or medieval themes. He went back to Barcelona in 1886 and in 1894 he moved to Paris. The popularity and success he had earned during his decade in Italy helped him open a substantial studio where he could create complex scenes for the upper classes.

In 1902 the Academia de San Carlos in Mexico decided to change their teaching methods from the classical techniques with the ones of new Realism movement that was so popular in Europe at the time. Antonio Fabrés was called to replace Santiago Rebull as head of this important institution. The faculty had a hard time adapting to his new and distinct style and personality so, after five years in 1907, he left Mexico and returned to Rome.

Antonio Maria Fabrés was recognized most everywhere he traveled. He was acclaimed in Barcelona, London, Paris, Vienna, and Lyon. At the end of his life, he was dealt a very unfortunate blow when in 1926 he chose to give a large number of his works to the Museo de Bellas Artes de Barcelona in exchange for this donation he asked the Museum that a hall be built with his name, but the museum never built it and in spite of the fact that he protested several times, they would never settle the argument.

Art Movement: Realism, Orientalism.
He Traveled To Italy, France, Mexico, England, Austria.
Artist's Biography compiled by Albert L. Mansour at The World's Artist, with text adapted from Wikipedia.