70,000 francs. This was one of the highest prices a painting had commanded to date, excepting Meissonier's 1814, la Campagne de France, which sold in 1866 for 85,000 francs. The Spanish Wedding catapulted Fortuny to international fame and his paintings were in high demand the rest of his career. The painting remained in private hands until 1922. At that time, it was purchased by the Municipal Museum of Barcelona along with the Museum Board of Barcelona. Due to a misunderstanding, it became urgent for the museum to purchase the piece. It was believed the owner was moving to America and taking the painting with him. The Barcelona government decided that it would be best for the art work to come back to Spain and the funds for this endeavor were raised by subscription. It arrived at the museum in 1922 and is now cared for and displayed by Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, in Barcelona. Description and Art Historical Analysis The Spanish Wedding is a painting of the signing of the wedding license or registry after the marriage ceremony. Weddings and church scenes were a popular subject during the 19th century. The Spanish Wedding highlights Fortuny's abilities. Central to the action are the bride and groom, surrounded by friends and family. The priest; two gentlemen at the end of the table; and the older couple, on the bench to the right, look on as the groom signs the documents, thereby creating emphasis on the center of the painting. Fortuny's use of color and light illustrates his inspiration by the artist Goya. The contrast of the dark interior with the light colors of the wedding party contrast sharply, much like the 17th century Dutch masters that Fortuny examined as a student. While the painting was created in 1870, the clothing, like many genre paintings, is inspired by an historical time period. In this case, Fortuny references the 18th century, in the style of the men's clothing, and the women's accessories. The women's dresses follow the silhouette of the late 19th century. Fortuny renders silk and lace with exceptional ability. The viewer can almost hear the rustle of fabrics. The painting is decidedly Spanish in inspiration with the inclusion of peinetas on the women, the enormous iron grill work, typical of Spanish churches, and bull fighters. The painting is filled with objects that, some experts say, were from Fortuny's personal collection. The