José Cuchy Arnau
The Nail, The Ember, The Test [El Clavo, La Brasa, La Prueba], 1888
Printed ink on paper, 7 5/16 x 4 13/16 x 9/16 in. (18.6 x 12.3 x 1.5 cm)
Long Gallery
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner often collected works in languages other than English. This book might have been purchased during her 1888 journey throughout Spain and Portugal when she visited important sites of art and architecture and attended a bullfight. The vivid pinks of the cover’s floral design highlight the figure of a tantalizingly beautiful woman whose “love stories” might be revealed inside.