Bidspirit auction | Playing cards. Signed. Colonial School.

Playing cards. Signed. Colonial School. 19th century - Oil on canvas. Dimensions: 100 x 127 cm. The work depicts an urban scene where a group of half-naked children are playing cards on the ground, watched by a priest dressed in black who extends his hand in a warning gesture. In the background, a young man with a cane adds narrative tension to the composition. The architecture and the blue sky suggest a Mediterranean context, framing the action. The contrast between the cleric's severity and the boys' mischievous attitude conveys a moralizing interpretation. The brushwork is clear and precise, with particular attention paid to facial expressions and the depiction of clothing. This canvas, signed ”Lungieng, ” belongs to the 19th-century European style of painting, associated with costumbrismo (costumb art) and the narrative genre, which combines social criticism with a taste for the anecdote.