Museo Carmen Thyssen

Ricardo Verdugo Landi was born in Malaga on 27 January 1871 and enrolled at the School of Fine Arts in 1886. He was one of the first pupils of Emilio Ocón, the newly appointed professor of landscape. Despite his early vocation for seascapes, the known works from Verdugo Landi’s youth in Malaga collections are close to Fortuny’s style.

His career, like that of so many other artists, was pursued through the official channel and from 1892 onwards he took part in the National Exhibitions, registering as a pupil of Martínez de la Vega and Emilio Ocón. It was Ocón who influenced him decisively in taking up marine painting and Verdugo may be considered one of his most talented followers of the Malaga art scene. His first official recognition came at the National Exhibition of 1892 for Desembarcando (“Disembarking”), which earned him an honorary mention. He submitted Naufragio (“Shipwreck”) to that of 1895 and Oleaje (“Swell”) to that of 1899, once again receiving an honorary mention. He continued to take part in national, foreign and local exhibitions until well into the century – 1924 – and won a medal second-class at Panama in 1917 and a medal of honour at Zaragoza in 1919, among other awards.

His career was initially pursued in Malaga, where he alternated between painting and his post of curator at the municipal museum from 1895 to 1897, the year he resigned and received financial compensation from the council in recognition of his good work.

In Madrid he was appointed as a “retoucher” to the staff of the Blanco y Negro review and from the beginning of the century he spent alternate periods in the capital and Malaga, cooperating closely with his brother’s firm Prensa Gráfica which published magazines such as Nuevo Mundo, Mundo Gráfico and La Esfera. He had illustrations of his works published in them and was involved in editorial and managerial tasks.

His constant contact with Madrid led him to settle in the capital, where he frequented the company of Prado López, Muñoz Degrain, Moreno Carbonero and the Madrid Association of Painters and Sculptors, although he never lost contact with Malaga, as in 1924 he became a member of the panel for the Holy Week posters organised by the Malaga association of confraternities.

He died in Madrid on 10 October 1930.

Teresa Sauret Guerrero