Circle of VALENTIN DE ZUBIAURRE AGUIRREZÁBAL (Madrid, 1879-1963)."Grandmother with child and

Circle of VALENTIN DE ZUBIAURRE AGUIRREZÁBAL (Madrid, 1879-1963).
"Grandmother with child and basket of apples".
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower left corner.
It presents lateral bands added.
Size: 100 x 80 cm; 112 x 90 cm (frame).
The retrospective and nostalgic look, full of tenderness, towards the regional roots that Valentín de Zubiaurre expresses in his paintings is in this occasion enhanced by the resource of the basket of apples. The basket and more apples are used in order to complexify the perspective and the play of glances between the characters, but also to allude to the passage of time as it also reflects the difference in age between the grandmother and the girl. This gives great expressive force to the painting as a whole. This work falls within the framework of the rise of regionalism in Spain in the second half of the 19th century and the first third of the 20th century, with the development of an art with a Romantic, costumbrista heritage and a realistic and meticulous style, which focused on the representation of 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 the traditions and ways of dressing and behaving that were threatened by the notable growth of urban areas and the imposition of fashions brought in from outside.
The son of the musical composer of the same name, Valentín Zubiaurre was born deaf and dumb, like his younger brother Ramón, also a painter. He began his training with the painter Daniel Perea before entering the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1894. There he was a disciple of Carlos de Haes, Muñoz Degrain, Ferrant and Moreno Carbonero. In 1898 the two Zubiaurre brothers set out on a study trip that took them to France, Italy and the Netherlands. On their return to Spain they obtained a grant from the Diputación de Vizcaya in 1902, which enabled them to settle in Paris. They attended classes at the Académie Julian and became acquainted with modern trends, but were not permeable to their influence, mainly due to the weight of their academic training and their admiration for both the Flemish and Italian primitives and contemporary Spanish painters such as Darío de Regoyos and Ignacio Zuloaga. Valentín de Zubiaurre regularly sent his works to the National Fine Arts Exhibitions and was awarded several prizes; in 1908 he won the second medal and in 1917 the first. He was also distinguished with prizes from foreign institutions and won prizes at important international competitions held in the first decade of the 20th century, including those of Munich, Buenos Aires, Brussels, San Francisco and San Diego. From the 1920s onwards, the Zubiaurre brothers experienced their most successful period, both in Spain and internationally. After the war Valentín de Zubiaurre resumed his career in Spain, and his recognition became official with his appointment as a full member of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1945, culminating in the medal of honour awarded to him at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 1957, six years before his death. He is currently represented in the Fine Arts Museums of Chicago, Buenos Aires, Paris, Luxembourg, Munich, Berlin, Tokyo, Pittsburg and San Diego, as well as in the main art galleries of the Basque Country, the Castagnino Museum in Argentina, the Reina Sofía National Art Centre, the BBVA collection and the Museum of Modern Art in Rome, among others, both public and private.