Follower of José Arrúe

Follower of JOSÉ ARRÚE VALLE (Bilbao, 1885 - Llodio, Álava, 1977).
"Basque character".
Oil on wood in oval format.
Signed "Arrúe" on the lower right side.
Measurements: 26 x 18 cm; 45 x 32 cm (frame).

José Arrué was an outstanding painter of Basque types, characterized with great intuition, as this fresh scene in watercolor attests. Arrúe was trained in Bilbao, and later extended his studies in Barcelona, Paris and Milan. In 1908 he returned to his homeland and began to combine his artistic practice with teaching, as a professor of figure drawing at the School of Arts and Crafts in Bilbao. That same year he collaborated in the foundation of the magazine "El Coiteao". A year later, his love for the bullfighting world led him to dress in bullfighting, and he fought in eight novilladas (bullfights). His presentation as a bullfighter took place in Bilbao on October 17, and according to the reviews of the time he defended himself well. Around this time he began to make himself known, and held exhibitions of his work in Bilbao in 1911, 1915, 1920 and 1925. The following year, in 1926, Arrúe moved to Paris, where he would continue to paint until finally showing in Buenos Aires in the company of his brother Ramiro, also a painter. This exhibition, inaugurated on July 10, 1928, was held at the Society of Friends of Art in the Argentine capital, and its success was such that it became itinerant, continuing its staging in Cordoba, in the hall of the newspaper "La Razón", with which Arrúe would collaborate artistically for several years. Subsequently, the exhibition was also shown at the Moretti, Catelli and Mazzuchelli gallery in Montevideo, to end its journey at the Wicomb Salon in Rosario, again in Argentina. During this trip, Arrúe participated in the Exhibition of Basque Artists held in the Gran Casino of San Sebastian on the occasion of the Great Basque Week, and was also awarded for his poster in the II International Work Contest. Also during these years, between 1926 and 1931, Arrúe collaborated in Madrid newspapers such as "El Sol", "Crisol" or "El Liberal", working in the cartoon section. He also worked in advertising for savings banks, made posters for Bilbao's Semana Grande, illustrated cards with Basque types and landscapes and also books such as "Guipúzcoa. Lecturas", by Bonifacio Arrabal (1930), "Ansonekoa" by José E. de Arriaga (1931), "Viaje a Navarra durante la insurrección vasca (1835)" (1933) and "Los esclavos felices", also by Arriaga (1935). He was also an active participant in the Basque cultural environment. Since 1912, the year of the first exhibition of the Association of Basque Artists, Arrúe participated in numerous events and exhibitions held by the association, even exhibiting individually in its hall in 1931. He also contributed to its foundation, and held the positions of accountant, librarian and treasurer. In 1933 his works will be present in the last exhibition held by the Association, held at the Emporium Galleries in Barcelona. In this same decade of the thirties he participates in the III Exhibition of Basque Artists, although three years later, in 1937, he is imprisoned. Already free, in 1940 he settled in Areta (Llodio), leading since then a retired life. However, he continued to exhibit in the following years, participating in group exhibitions of Basque artists, and in 1973 a retrospective exhibition of his work was held in the Sala de Cultura de la Caja de Ahorros Provincial de Álava. He is currently represented in the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, among other public and private collections.