El Beso by Bernardo Ferrándiz Bádenes, a painting that captures all the warmth, tradition, and storytelling of the costumbrista style.
I just love discovering gems like this! El beso (The Kiss), painted in 1888 by the Spanish artist Bernardo Ferrándiz Bádenes, draws us straight into a tender, almost secret moment, a man and a woman sharing a kiss in their traditional Valencian attire. And then, look closer! A third figure lingers in the background, watching. That little twist instantly transforms the scene from simple romance into something more layered, more human.
Ferrándiz Bádenes (1835–1885) was born in Valencia, the son of a fisherman in the port district known as El Cabanyal. From these humble beginnings, his artistic journey took off at Valencia’s Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos. He later continued his studies in Madrid and Paris, experiences that shaped his vision and honed his skill. Eventually, he became a professor at the School of Fine Arts in Málaga, where his influence helped shape future generations of artists.
His speciality was painting everyday life, what we call “costumbrista” style, those vivid depictions of local traditions, social encounters, and the drama of daily existence.
What excites me most about El beso is how Ferrándiz combines warmth and tension. It’s romantic, yes, but it also makes us aware of how private emotions often unfold under the eyes of others. His work brought fresh energy to Valencian painting, and his influence rippled through to the artists who followed.
For me, this painting is far more than a kiss on canvas—it is a tale of love, tradition, and the ever-watchful eyes of society. The ominous cabinet, a kind of relicario or reliquary holding a skeleton, underscores the tension between passion and mortality. It reflects Ferrándiz’s fascination with contrasts: love and death, youth and decay, desire and the inescapable passage of time.
That is precisely why Ferrándiz Bádenes stands among my favourites of this era.
Enjoy, Karla xx
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