Spanish Singer

From his student years to the mid-1930s, Burra’s foremost preoccupation was with the low-life scenes of Mediterranean ports: the brothels, music halls, and sailors cafés - fascinated by the cheap and the sordid. George Melly stated, ‘He loved naughtiness. He enjoyed depravity and bathed in the glamorous eccentric light’ (G. Melly, quoted in W. Chappell (ed.), Edward Burra: A painter remembered by his friends, London, 1982, p. 11). Burra’s imagination was spurred by travel, with the artist frequenting European countries such as France and Spain, as well as travelling to further-afield places such as the United States and Mexico. One of his obsessions was Spain, drawn to its civilisation, culture and art. He taught himself Spanish and was known to often read Spanish literature and periodicals, which were strewn across his studio at Springfield in Rye. He admired the great Spanish painters El Greco, Goya, Francisco de Zurbarán as well as lesser known artists such as José Romano Gutiérrez-Solana, who depicted the darker and often more violent side of Spanish culture, such as bullfights, brothels, boxing fights, poor houses and executions. He visited Spain on a number of occasions first travelling there in 1933, where he met close friend John Aiken, and from there briefly visited Morocco. He recorded his observations mostly from memory, with often no, or very little preparatory studies.

Burra’s fondness for Spain can be seen in Spanish Singer, circa 1933-34. Set in a bar or music hall, Burra captures a singer in mid-performance. Burra wrote to his fellow artist and friend Paul Nash, circa April 1933 from the Pension Carmona, Alhambra, expressing his love of these entertainment haunts: ‘Barcelona was lovely nothing but music halls and bars and cinemas … they did some lovely dancing with castanets however in daintie spanish costumes of black transparent net with diamonte embroidery (over the parts)’.

The colours in Spanish Singer are resolutely evocative of Spain, with the luscious, rich green skirt set against an opulent red backdrop, which brings a feeling of warmth and passion to the scene. Burra uses the singer’s mantilla to create a spotlight effect, and although glamorously dressed, and decorated with dramatic makeup and jewellery, her face portrays a sadness and melancholy. Whilst this may be reflective of the song she is performing, or as is so often the case with Burra, may also be indicative of a deeper, underlying menace and his fascination with the macabre.

We are very grateful to Professor Jane Stevenson for her assistance in cataloguing this work.