After the wedding ceremony

José Gallegos y Arnosa began his artistic training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid under the tutelage of the distinguished painter Raimundo Madrazo. At the Academy, he developed what would later become his acclaimed ability to render complex compositions imbued with a masterful sense of color and light. Gallegos's talents were apparent early on, leading the director of the Academy to write a letter to the aspiring artist's father, which encouraged the elder to allow his son to abandon his forced architectural studies and to embrace his dream of becoming a painter. The artist's father consented and Gallegos was permitted to dedicate himself full time to painting, although his grounding in architecture continued to influence his work which frequently depicts finely detailed interiors of Spanish cathedrals and Italian Renaissance churches. The present painting shows Gallegos' talent for capturing various forms of light from the brilliant outdoor sunshine to the more subdued glow that filters through the stained glass windows of the church. Moreover, After the wedding ceremony illustrates the artist's skillful handling of materials, from the delicacy of the bridesmaids' lace veils to the heavy carved wooden doors and worn stone floor. A tour-de-force of technical skill, After the wedding ceremony is a testament to why Gallegos was one of the most sought after artists of his day, represented by such well-known dealers as Arthur Tooth in London and collected by William Randolph Hearst in the United States.