Spanish Gypsy's Home
- Description
- Stephen Ferris etched Home of Mariano, Gypsy King in Granada, Spain, during his 1881 visit to sites associated with Mariano Fortuny, a Spanish artist he deeply admired. In a letter from Granada to art editor Sylvester R. Koehler, Ferris told of his fascination with gypsy cave dwellings. He described them as “most picturesque and weird, overgrown with vines, cactus, and aloes . . . . I have made several drawings of Gitanos [gypsy] caves and of one especially a favorite model of Fortunys [sic] a Gitano prince in splendid costume. We bought his dress and I intend to paint and etch my picture when I get time.” Ferris etched the gypsy’s portrait in costume separately and included it, slightly altered, on the right in this print showing the family and animals assembled in front of their cave. Ferris noted in pencil on the print that it was etched directly from life.
- Gypsies or gitanos still live in caves in the Sacromonte(Holy Mountain) area of Granada. Today the number of cave dwellers has dwindled, but the area remains famous for flamenco singing and dancing.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- print
- Date made
- 1881
- graphic artist
- Ferris, Stephen James
- Physical Description
- paper (overall material)
- ink (overall material)
- Measurements
- image: 18.5 cm x 24.5 cm; 7 5/16 in x 9 5/8 in
- plate: 19 cm x 25.5 cm; 7 1/2 in x 10 1/16 in
- sheet: 24 cm x 33.4 cm; 9 7/16 in x 13 1/8 in
- Place Made
- Spain
- place made
- Spain
- ID Number
- GA*14404.03
- accession number
- 94830
- catalog number
- 14404.03
- subject
- Art
- Spain
- Communications
- Information Technology
- Gypsy
- Ferris Collection
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Graphic Arts
- Ferris Collection
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Visitor Comments