A. Pulido García, Washerwomen of the Manzanares, 1890s, Oil on Canvas

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Description

"Washerwomen of the Manzanares River," Madrid School, genre painting, early 20th century – Spain

Technique: Oil on canvas
Title of … Read more "Washerwomen of the Manzanares River," Madrid School, genre painting, early 20th century – Spain

Technique: Oil on canvas
Title of the work: "Washerwomen of the Manzanares River"
Artist: Signed A. Pulido García
School: Madrid School
Period: Early 20th century
Country of origin: Spain
Good condition considering its age and use
Overall dimensions: 100 x 130 x 9 cm
Dimensions without frame: 77 x 108 cm

This exceptional oil on canvas, belonging to the Madrid School of the early 20th century, depicts a genre scene showing everyday tasks. The painter shows the Manzanares River in the background, and in this section, a canal where the washerwomen and farm workers are located with their carts pulled by draft animals. The painting's perspective is composed of parallel diagonals converging at a single point. These diagonals are formed by the river, the canal, the land between them, and the path on the right side of the painting. These diagonals are interrupted by two horizontal lines: the bridge and the woods in the background, which give way to the sky. The predominant colors in the oil painting are earth tones, such as brown, present in the trees and paths, and blue tones, present in the river, the canal, and the sky. The artist's signature, A. Pulido García, appears in the lower right corner.

The work belongs to the 20th-century Madrid school, likely by a follower of the painter Aureliano de Beruete, a renowned landscape artist who trained at the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Thanks to his comfortable financial situation, he was able to dedicate his entire career to painting, especially landscape and genre scenes. Currently, some of his works can be found in the collection of the Prado Museum. Furthermore, he became an important art collector, owning a drawing by Michelangelo and a work by El Greco. His personal and professional circumstances allowed him to travel throughout Europe at the end of the 19th century, where he was influenced by Impressionist aesthetics and formed close friendships with Claude Monet and Joaquín Sorolla. It is worth noting that his son, also named Joaquín Sorolla, would later become the director of the Prado Museum between 1918 and 1922.

The costumbrista (regionalist) art movement refers to the customs, traditions, and everyday reality of its subjects, both in the artistic and literary spheres. This term became popular during the Romantic period of the 19th century, although works belonging to this genre can be found earlier, such as those of Brueghel the Elder during the 16th century or the paintings of Goya from the late 18th century. This movement gained popularity in the art world as a reaction against the prevailing academic art, a product of French academicism. Beauty in artworks was no longer confined to "lofty or superior" themes; the mere reality surrounding the painter could be beautiful. These paintings generally feature gentler gestures and scenes, with broad brushstrokes, a departure from Neoclassicism, and a move towards later Impressionism. In Spain, we find costumbrista artists such as Francisco de Goya in his early period, José Jiménez Aranda, José Domínguez Bécquer, and Eugenio Lucas Velázquez in Madrid.

The frame protecting the artwork is offered as a gift, but it has intrinsic value. It is provided at no additional cost so that your artwork can be displayed immediately upon arrival at your home or destination. Any damage to the frame itself, which does not affect the integrity of the artwork, cannot be accepted as valid grounds for filing a claim or requesting a cancellation. This piece has an attribution mark,
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