Bartolomé Mongrell Muñoz, Valencian Couple, Early 1900s, Oil on Canvas

“Valencian couple” Bartolomé Mongrell Muñoz, Costumbrista painting, Valencian School, first third of the 20th century. XX - Spain

Splendid oil on canvas by the Valencian painter Bartolomé Mongrell Muñoz in which he shows us a Valencian couple. A disciple of his cousin José Mongrell, Bartolomé Mongrell studied at the San Carlos School of Fine Arts. His training linked him to decorative voluptuousness, bright colors and scenes of Valencian customs full of orange trees, typical costumes and golden light. An academic painter, he stood out in Valencian themes, mainly in regional painting of manners, where he expressed his mastery of chromaticism as an heir to Luminism, although somewhat ascribed to modernism. His painting tends to be tenebrist, in this case we appreciate it in the penumbra and shading that the forms construct; but, at the same time, Mediterranean, due to its chromatic treatment, where it demonstrates its dominance.
Costumbrismo was a trend or artistic movement that reflected the uses and customs of society, referring to a specific region or country and its entire traditional folklore. It emerged in Europe, especially in Spain and France, during the 18th and 19th centuries. He sought to portray daily life, often with a focus on the popular classes, peasant or urban, capturing moments that reflected cultural identity, folklore and local habits. The usual thing is that the protagonists were not great historical figures, but people from the town. In Spain, costumbrismo had a notable development, especially in the 19th century, and was a response to the rapid social and economic changes brought about by industrialization.
In this case, a couple, man and woman, is presented. She carries a basket of fruits on her head, in which oranges stand out, while the man holds a rooster by its legs. Attention to detail is essential, with an emphasis on traditional costumes, gestures... The painting combines the artist's typical bright colors with his taste for contrasts, ensuring that in this painting the everyday and popular becomes an artistic motif.
More about the artist
He also stood out as a portrait painter and poster artist. Like many of the painters of his time, he participated in competitions that gave him prizes and recognition among the public, obtaining Honorable Mention in 1912 at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts. Some of his works are found in the Círculo de Bellas Artes of Valencia, the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia, the Museum of the City of Valencia, the National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana, among others, in addition to numerous private collections.

Technique on support: Oil on canvas
Title of the work: “Valencian couple”
Author: Bartolomé Mongrell Muñoz
Signed in the lower left corner
Style / School: Costumbrista painting / Valencian School
Period: First third of the 20th century
Country of origin: Valencia, Spain
Good condition according to its age and use
Overall dimensions: 122 x 98 x 2 cm.
Dimensions without frame: 103 x 76 cm.


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