Juan de Echevarría

JUAN DE ECHEVARRÍA (Bilbao, 1875 - Madrid, 1931).
Untitled.
Oil on cardboard.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 82,5 x 135 cm; 96 x 144 cm (frame).
This work reflects the unique quality and aesthetic of Spanish painter Juan de Echevarría, known for his vibrant expressionism and his penchant for a rich, emotionally charged chromatic palette. In this painting, Echevarría depicts a still life scene with potted plants and books on a table, highlighting his characteristic use of color and energetic brushwork.

The composition is structured around two potted plants, a larger one on the right and a smaller one on the left. The elongated stems and leaves of the plants seem to move in an environment of intense textures, created with a gestural and loose brushstroke that imbues the work with a vibrant and almost tactile air. The dark, warm tones of the background contrast with the deep greens and flashes of light that illuminate the leaves, generating a play of light and shadow that reinforces the depth of the scene. At the bottom, the stacked books provide a narrative element that suggests an intimate and contemplative space.

Echevarría's pictorial treatment is part of the Spanish expressionism of the early 20th century, a movement that sought to capture the artist's subjectivity through distorted forms and intense colors. His work, influenced by modernity and Spanish tradition, reflects a personal approach to nature and everyday objects, emphasizing expressiveness over detailed realism.

Juan de Echevarría is a leading figure in 20th century Spanish painting, and his work is a bridge between post-impressionism and European expressionist currents. His artistic production, although relatively brief due to his premature death, left an important mark in the history of Spanish art. His work is distinguished by a rich and emotive palette, a free brushstroke and an interest in the representation of the popular and the everyday. The painting analyzed here is an excellent example of his ability to transform a simple motif into a composition full of life and dynamism, consolidating him as one of the great renovators of Spanish painting in his time.

After finishing his university studies, Echevarría decided to devote himself to painting. He went to Paris and participated in the Salon d'Automne of 1911, where his canvases were praised by Apollinaire. Once settled in Madrid, in 1916 he had his first individual exhibition at the Ateneo. In 1919 he attends the International Exposition of Bilbao, where a room is reserved for him. In 1923 and 1926 he made new exhibitions, in the halls of the Spanish Society of Friends of Art, in Madrid. His favorite genres were still life and portrait. His work is well known thanks to the posthumous exhibitions held in Madrid in 1949, 1955, 1961 and 1965. He is represented in the Reina Sofia Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Madrid, the Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao, the Provincial Museum of Jaen and the Mapfre Foundation, among many other centers.