From Caledonia to the Continent
John Phillip (1817-67)
The Dying Contrabandista Signed and dated 1858
Oil on canvas | 132.1 x 203.2 cm (support, canvas/panel/stretcher external) | RCIN 404562
At this date Spain was a fashionable source for stories of love and death, Bizet’s Carmen being a famous example. Here a wounded smuggler dies in the arms of his beloved, whilst clutching a Rosary. The young woman holds a mirror to his lips to see if he is still breathing. Two of their companions keep guard.
Signed and dated: JP [in monogram] 1858
Signed and dated: JP [in monogram] 1858
