Fortunato Arriola | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1827 |
| Died | August 15, 1872 |
| Nationality | Mexican |
Fortunato Arriola (1827–1872), born in Cosalá, Sinaloa, Mexico, was a painter of portraits and luminous tropical landscapes that were very popular in San Francisco, California, where he came to live in 1857.
The son of a wealthy landowner, Arriola was a handsome, distinguished and cultivated man. He was self-taught as an artist and began his career painting portraits. His style was realistic, which he carried into his paintings of nature landscape scenes, for which he is most well-known. Contemporary critics especially praised Arriola’s paintings depicting moonlight and tropical scenes.[1]
He had a studio near the corner of Kearney and Clay Streets that was a gathering place for Mexican exiles, a place of intellectual ferment and the occasional brawl. Among his students were Toby Rosenthal and Ransom Holdredge.[2] Most of his works, imagined views of Central America, disappeared after he died. His largest painting, "Sunset in the Tropics" measures about 5 ft. by 7 ft. in its original frame
The artist exhibited his work at the Mechanics Institute Fairs in 1864 and 1865 as well as the National Academy of Design in 1872. [3]
In 1872, he traveled to New York City to exhibit two paintings at the National Academy of Design. He was returning to San Francisco on the Bienville which was carrying a load of dynamite. It exploded at Watling Island, Bahamas on August 15, 1872. He died at sea, leaving a widow and six children.
Fortunato Arriola's work has been viewed at auctions, selling at prices ranging from $3,500 USD to $27,500 USD. His work "Moonlit river gorge" sold at Bonhams Los Angeles in 2014 for $27,500 USD. [4]
