Circulo de Rafael Zabaleta Fuentes (1907-1960) - Burros

Circle of Rafael Zabaleta (1907–1960)
Group of donkeys in Castilian landscape — c. 1950
Authorship / attribution: Circle of Rafael Zabaleta
Title: Group of donkeys in Castilian landscape
Technique: oil on burlap / canvas with coarse weave
Chronology: c. 1950
School: Spanish
Dimensions of the work: 54 × 65 cm
Overall dimensions with frame: 76 × 87 cm
Signature: not visible
Provenance: Spanish private collection

Description

Interesting oil on burlap from the mid-20th century, stylistically attributed to the circle of Rafael Zabaleta (1907–1960) for its expressionist treatment of the rural landscape, the intense color construction, and the deliberate simplification of forms.

The composition presents four donkeys halted in an open landscape. The animals, individualized through different chromatic ranges — brown, blue, violaceous white and black — acquire an almost monumental presence and constitute the true visual axis of the work.

The painter deliberately abandons a strictly naturalistic representation. The landscape is built through large horizontal bands of color, where intense yellows, deep blues, greens, pinks and earth tones succeed each other, creating a structure almost autonomous from the observed reality.

One of the main attractions of the painting lies in its extraordinary materiality. The oil appears applied in abundant impasto, especially visible in the ground, the clouds and certain areas of the animals. The surface preserves the traces of brush, spatula and dragging of matter, turning the very thickness of the paint into an essential part of the expression.

The sky is treated through a succession of blues and whites that are highly textured, while the shadows of the ground are resolved with intense blues and violets, consciously moving away from natural color.

Affinity with Rafael Zabaleta and postwar Spanish painting

The work shows important affinities with certain languages developed by Rafael Zabaleta during the 1950s, especially in his representation of the rural world, animals, formal simplification, and the use of intense colors outlined by dark contours.

During his mature period, Zabaleta turned peasants, animals, and landscapes into chromatic structures with great expressive force, progressively moving away from naturalistic description to develop a painting close to Fauvism and Expressionism.

The presence of donkeys and domestic animals is also a documented theme in his late-1950s production.

The present work shares this visual universe: monumentalized rural fauna, color liberated from naturalistic representation, landscape built by color bands and a marked presence of the pictorial matter.

Connections can also be seen with the ambiance of renewal of the Castilian landscape developed by Benjamín Palencia, the second Escuela de Vallecas and certain artists of the Madrid School, in a context in which the work should be understood.

Catalogued as “Circle of Rafael Zabaleta” should be considered as a stylistic proposal. There is currently no signature, certificate, documentary provenance, or inclusion in a catalog raisonné that would allow a direct link of the painting to the artist.

Artistic value

Beyond the attribution issue, the work possesses a strong personality.
The four animals almost function as a rhythmic sequence of shapes and colors, while the landscape loses depth to become a succession of horizontal planes.
The apparent naïveté of the drawing contrasts with a very conscious chromatic construction. The animals cease to be merely anecdotal elements of the landscape and become almost totemic figures linked to the working-class world, labor, resilience, and the austerity of the territory.

Condition

General condition in keeping with its age and the extremely material nature of the work.
Small losses, abrasions, and occasional surface alterations are visible, especially in some areas with heavier impasto. The reverse shows perimeter reinforcements and ancient interventions related to mounting.
It is recommended to carefully examine all detail photographs, which form an integral part of the description.

The frame is included as a gift, and will not be the subject of claim.

Barcelona Art Gallery ships via a professional specialized company, using custom-made boxes and foam protections. Worldwide shipping is available. Any possible surcharges due to large format or certain continental or non-EU destinations will be borne by the buyer.