Spanish school (XX) - NO RESERVE - Popular scene

POPULAR SCENE – MARKET OR ROMERÍA
Oil on canvas
Spanish School, 20th century
Signature illegible
65 × 82 cm
80 × 100 cm (with frame)

1. IDENTIFICATION

1.1 Author
Signature illegible.
Basque School, 20th century.

1.2 Title
Basque Popular Scene – Market or Romería.

1.3 Chronology
20th century (probably 1940–1960).

1.4 Technique and support
Oil on canvas.

1.5 Dimensions
65 × 82 cm (work).
80 × 100 cm (with frame).

1.6 Observations
Signed composition (caligraphic study pending).
Canvas in good structural condition. Frame functional.

2. ARTISTIC DESCRIPTION

The scene depicts a group of male and female figures gathered in what appears to be a traditional market or romería. The women, dressed with light scarves and green skirts, form a central chromatic band that contrasts with the dark-toned male figures in the foreground.

The treatment is decidedly expressionist. The brushwork is broad, loose, and vibrant. The figures are not academically modeled but constructed through color masses and energetic strokes.

Deep blacks and browns dominate the frontal area, while greens, blues, and violets shape the background. The wet-looking ground suggests a rainy atmosphere or an outdoor scene after rain, a common resource in Basque painting of the 20th century to intensify reflections and drama.

The composition, closed and compact, conveys introspection and gravity, a characteristic feature of the modern Basque imagination.

3. HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND SCHOOL

Basque painting of the 20th century developed its own language based on:

- Popular and rural themes
- Compact figures with strong presence
- Moderate chromaticism with expressive accents
- Psychological charge in collective scenes

The work shows affinities with the aesthetic environment following the generation of Zuloaga and Regoyos, evolving toward social expressionism.

Although direct attribution is not asserted, the formal sensibility sits within the mid-20th century Basque school, where the human figure and popular scenes acquire almost symbolic dimension.

The signature warrants specific study for possible identification.

4. CONDITION

Good overall condition.
Painted surface stable with slight textural materiality.
No relevant structural damage evident in the provided images.
Frame in good decorative condition.

5. GUARANTEE AND TRANSPARENCY

Presented as an original 20th-century oil, Basque school, signed.
The signature is visible but not conclusively legible at this stage.
Images show the front and back, allowing basic technical analysis.

6. COLLECTING OPPORTUNITY

20th-century Basque painting maintains constant demand in national and international markets, especially mid-large format works with traditional figurative scenes.