Martin Rico y Ortega was born on 12 November 1833 in El Escorial, Spain. He was an important landscape painter and a leading figure in the Impressionist movement. Rico y Ortega began his artistic studies at the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid and later moved to Paris, where he became involved with the Impressionists and began to develop his own style.
Recognised for his vibrant landscapes and luminous atmospheres, Rico y Ortega depicted scenes of nature, parks and urban life. His works are remarkable for the way they capture light and colour, inspired both by Spanish tradition and the new artistic currents he encountered in Paris.
In addition to his career as a painter, Martin was also an influential teacher and mentor to many artists. He died on 13 April 1908 in Venice. Today, he is remembered as one of the main representatives of Impressionism in Spain, whose works continue to be admired for their attention to detail.
