Ernesto de la Cárcova
(1866-1927)

Think that you may own a painting by Ernesto de la Cárcova? We authenticate, appraise, research and issue Certificates of Authenticity (COA) and provide consultations for all paintings by Ernesto de la Cárcova.

Ernesto de la Cárcova was undoubtedly one of the outstanding painters of the so called Generation of the Eighties during the last years of the 19th century and the first part of the following century. He began his painting studies in 1885 and then continued his training in Paris, Rome and Turin. In Italy de la Cárcova was very much influenced by the Doménico and Girolamo Induno brothers, who were the first ones reacting against the academicism so much in practice at that time.

From an aesthetic point of view, during the first years of the decade his work followed the Italian influence, mainly that of the “macchiaioli”. The expressive brushstroke facing the coldness of the academic formalism and the preference for realism. His paintings with social content were produced during that period. His very well-known painting “Without bread and without a job” dated 1894 is a demonstrative reaction against academicism not only for its pathetic and striking theme but also for the technique of modeling by means of color.

Later de la Cárcova painted many portraits and still life paintings using oil and pastel techniques. Towards the end of his creative cycle, de la Cárcova began to use a bright lighting, which clarified his palette and announced the Argentine impressionism that would thrive in the country during the subsequent period. Some of his paintings like “Backlighting”, “The garden bench” and “Silent still life” are a proof of this brightness.

Ernesto de la Cárcova founded and was the first director of the High School of Fine Arts and the National Academy of Fine Arts. He trained numerous disciples and some of them achieved maximum summits of the plastic art such as Carlos Miguel Victorica, Cesáreo B. de Quirós, Carlos Ripamonte and others.

He was awarded with many prizes at international exhibitions and the President of France granted him with the Sir degree of the Honor Legion.

Still wondering about that Argentine painting in your family collection? Contact us... we are the Ernesto de la Cárcova experts.