Manuel Fernandez Luque (1919-2005) - Maternity

MANUEL FERNÁNDEZ LUQUE "LUQUE"
Écija, Sevilla, 1919 – Valencia, 2005

MATERNIDAD

Oil on board

Signed "Luque" in the lower right corner

Dimensions of the work: 61 × 50 cm
Overall dimensions with frame: 69 × 58 cm


IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THE BUYER

The work will be prepared at our logistics center with professional custom packaging, using materials suitable to protect the painting and the frame during transport.

Shipping will be insured, with tracking, and usually within three business days after payment confirmation.

The frame is offered as a courtesy and is not the main item for sale. Any signs of age or use should be assessed from the photographs, which are an essential part of the description.


1. IDENTIFICATION OF THE WORK

1.1. Authorship and chronology

Manuel Fernández Luque, professionally known as "Luque".
Écija, Sevilla, 1919 – Valencia, 2005.

The work was probably created during the second half of the 20th century.
No visible execution date is observed.
Fernández Luque developed an extensive artistic career linked especially to Madrid and Valencia, the city where he died in 2005.


1.2. Title and theme

Maternity.
Descriptive title proposed from the representation.
The composition shows a mother seated and leaning over the child she holds in her arms. The closeness of the bodies and the protective attitude of the female figure allow the scene to be interpreted as an intimate portrayal of motherhood and the act of breastfeeding.


1.3. Technique, support and dimensions

Oil on board.
Dimensions of the painting: 61 × 50 cm.
Overall dimensions with frame: 69 × 58 cm.

The work is presented framed with a simple wooden molding that keeps the focus on the composition.


2. ARTISTIC DESCRIPTION

2.1. Composition

The scene is organized through a closed, enveloping structure. The curved body of the mother forms a protective space around the child.

The tilt of the head, the diagonal movement of the arm, and the position of the little one guide the gaze toward the emotional core of the work: the contact between mother and child.

The background, built with brownish, ochre and greenish surfaces, lacks precise spatial references and gives the scene a universal character.


2.2. Drawing and painting execution

The painting is executed with broad, visible, and decisive brushwork. The figures are not described with a meticulous academic modeling, but with large planes of color, dark contours, and synthesized anatomical forms.

The brushstroke imprint remains clearly visible, especially on the face, arms, and torso of the mother. The alternation between compact zones, lighter areas, and small runs adds spontaneity and expressive intensity.


2.3. Color, light, and atmosphere

The palette combines muted pinks, earth tones, browns, olive greens, whites, and blacks.
The white kerchief of the mother constitutes the principal luminous focus, while the dark contours reinforce the monumental presence of the figures.

The work conveys reverence, tenderness, and vulnerability. Luque does not idealize motherhood through academic beauty but expresses it through weight, contact, and physical proximity.


3. HISTORICAL AND ARTISTIC CONTEXT

3.1. Artist’s career

Manuel Fernández Luque developed extensive activity as a painter and exhibitor. His production includes popular figures, maternities, family scenes, religious figures, bullfighters, altar boys, and still lifes.
His language is characterized by formal simplification, free brushwork, and a profoundly human vision of the figure.

3.2. Stylistic language

Luque’s work is linked to Spanish figurative expressionism of the 20th century.
In this painting he combines a stable composition with a modern technique based on broad chromatic planes, expressive distortions, and an emotionally charged use of color.
Anatomy is deliberately synthesized to reinforce the feeling and physical presence of the figures.

3.3. Motherhood in Luque’s production

Motherhood appears in various known works and sketches by the artist. This theme allowed him to explore intimacy, protection, and family ties.
In the present painting, a daily scene gains great plastic presence. The mother becomes a monumental figure, built around the child by a protective body movement.

3.4. Curatorial assessment

The work constitutes a representative example of Manuel Fernández Luque’s language: recognizable figuration, free brushwork, synthesized drawing, and predominance of emotion over anecdotal description.
Cataloging proposed based on visual, stylistic, and material analysis of the work and available documentation about the artist.


4. SIGNATURE AND AUTHORITY

4.1. Signature

Signed "Luque" in the lower right corner.
The signature is rendered with dark pigment and accompanied by a lower stroke.

4.2. Correspondence with the artist’s production

The handwriting matches the artistic surname used by Manuel Fernández Luque.
The theme, wide color planes, figure simplification, and expressive brushwork are consistent with his known production.

4.3. Cataloging criterion

Identification is based on the visible signature and on stylistic, thematic, and technical correspondence with the artist’s documented work.
Cataloging is performed with professional criteria based on visual examination and available documentation. No certificate of authenticity or external expert report is provided, unless expressly indicated.


5. STATE OF CONSERVATION, GUARANTEE AND TRANSPARENCY

5.1. Condition of the painting

The work shows a general state of conservation in line with its age and nature.
The surface maintains the composition, chromatic intensity, and expressiveness of the brushwork.
Small superficial signs, scuffs, occasional scratches, and slight irregularities are observed, mainly in peripheral and dark areas. No major losses that would hinder the proper reading of the scene are detected.

5.2. Examination and support

The assessment was carried out by visual inspection and photographic documentation.
The reverse is covered by a backing fixed to the frame, so the support has not been fully examined without removing the work.
No analyses with ultraviolet light, pigments, or scientific procedures have been performed. The existence of old interventions or retouches not visible in the photographs cannot be ruled out.

5.3. Condition of the frame

The frame shows small scuffs, marks, and signs of use.
It is included free of charge as a courtesy and does not constitute a substantial part of the painting’s value. Its possible imperfections are considered visible and described in the photographs.

5.4. Visual documentation

The buyer will receive exactly the work depicted in the images.
The photographs show the painting, signature, texture, presentation, and general state. There may be slight color variations depending on the screen or lighting.
The photographs form an integral and fundamental part of the description. Prospective bidders are advised to examine them carefully before bidding.


6. PRESENTATION, SHIPPING AND COLLECTORIAL OPPORTUNITY

6.1. Artistic and collecting interest

Especially interesting for collectors of Spanish figurative painting of the 20th century, expressionism, and artists linked to the Valencian milieu.
The intimacy of the subject, the solidity of the volumes, and the freedom of the brush give it a strong visual and emotional presence.

6.2. Gallery selection

The painting is part of a selection made with respect for its history, material qualities, and the sensitivity of its author.
An art-loving proposal for art lovers, based on transparency, visual study, and serious and responsible cataloging.

6.3. Packaging and transport

The work will be professionally packaged to measure, using multiple layers of protection, perimeter reinforcements, and a box sized to its dimensions.
Shipping will be insured and with tracking. Dispatch usually takes place within three business days after payment confirmation.
Any additional costs for islands, hard-to-reach territories, non-EU destinations, or zones with special tariffs will be borne by the buyer when applicable.