RAFAEL CUENCA MUÑOZ (Cordoba, 1895 - Madrid, 1967). "Jaleo... Lot 50

RAFAEL CUENCA MUÑOZ (Cordoba, 1895 - Madrid, 1967). "Jaleo flamenco". Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower right corner. Size: 110 x 90,5 cm; 123 x 101,5 cm (frame). The work stands out for the movement, not only for the one generated by the author through the arrangement of the figures, but also for the type of technique he uses, with a thick, thick and vibrant brushstroke. In the second half of the 19th century, Spain developed an art with a Romantic, costumbrista heritage and a realistic and meticulous style, which focused on depicting subjects, themes and characters that reflected a new sense of folklore. In this context, the painters sought to reflect the types and customs of their own land, which made it different and unique, thus vindicating their own roots and, above all, the traditions and ways of dressing and behaving that were threatened by the notable growth of urban areas and the imposition of new fashions brought in from outside. Art, mainly in its pictorial aspect, thus became, in a way, a vehicle of expression capable of making regional peculiarities known to the rest of the nation. A painter of landscapes, figures and flowers, Rafael Cuenca Muñoz specialised in the pastel technique, and in his day he was considered to be the best pastelist of his time. Self-taught, he combined his artistic practice with teaching and enjoyed great popularity, especially in the 1930s, when tributes were paid to him, such as the one held at the Palace Hotel in Cordoba in 1934.