Emilio Sala (painter) Facts for Kids

Emilio Sala; photograph by Kaulak (date unknown).

Emilio Sala y Francés (born January 20, 1850 – died April 14, 1910) was a talented Spanish painter. He was especially known for his beautiful portraits of women.

A Young Artist's Journey
Studying Abroad and New Ideas
Return to Spain and Later Life
Other Selected Paintings
See also

A Young Artist's Journey

Expulsion of the Jews from Spain (1889). This painting shows a scene that might have happened before the Alhambra Decree of 1492.

Emilio Sala was born in Alcoy, a town in Spain. His family were merchants. He began his art studies at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos de Valencia. There, he learned from his cousin, Plácido Francés y Pascual.

In 1871, Emilio showed his art to the public for the first time. This was at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Spain. He won a First Prize there in 1878. He also opened his own art studio in Madrid. Emilio helped decorate important places like the Anglada and Mazarredo palaces. He also painted ceilings for the Café de Fornos and the Cantina Americana.

Studying Abroad and New Ideas

In 1885, Emilio wanted to become a professor at the "School of Arts and Crafts," but he didn't get the job. Instead, he received a special scholarship to study art in Rome, Italy. Two years later, he got permission to study in Paris, France, instead.

At the Exposition Universelle (1889), a big world fair in Paris, he showed his famous painting called Expulsion of the Jews from Spain. This painting showed a historical scene. However, people in France didn't seem to like historical paintings as much anymore. So, he brought the painting back to Spain, where it was much more popular.

After this experience, around 1890, Emilio changed his painting style. He started focusing on genre scenes, which are paintings of everyday life. He also painted landscapes and created illustrations for books and magazines.

Return to Spain and Later Life

In 1896, Emilio Sala returned to Spain. He got married and opened his art studio again. Many of his artworks were featured in the magazine Blanco y Negro. He also drew pictures for some of the Episodios Nacionales, a famous series of novels by Benito Pérez Galdós.

Emilio also created beautiful decorations for the palace of the Infanta Isabella, a Spanish princess. These decorations were highly praised. Even with all his different works, his portraits remained his most outstanding pieces.

In 1906, Emilio tried again to get an academic job. This time, he applied to the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. He was not chosen for the position. However, the school created a special teaching role just for him. This new role was called "Theory and Esthetics of Color." He taught in this position until he passed away in 1910 in Madrid. He died from heart failure.

Emilio Sala received many honors during his life. These included the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel the Catholic and the Cross of the Order of St. Michael (Bavaria). He received the latter at an art exhibition in Munich in 1885.