José Puyet

Málaga, 1922 - Madrid, 2004.

José Puyet, one of the best-known Spanish painters of the twentieth century, was the grandson of the famous master Padilla, who introduced him to late nineteenth-century impressionism, the style which was to shape the figurative nature of his creations.

He trained as a painter in Madrid, where he often held exhibitions and where he was known as “Maestro Puyet“. When he finished his training, he moved to Africa to complete his military service, and he later travelled throughout Europe. His many journeys enabled him to carefully observe all kinds of personalities and ambiences, which were later often reflected in his work.

His work was always based on an accurate and efficient drawing upon which he made his compositions, playing with colour and simplification and interpretation of details which appear as compositional ornaments to the themes treated as a whole and always subordinate to the concept of beauty. His oil paintings are almost always portraits of beautiful women on backgrounds in which all the elements are aimed at creating the necessary ambience to lend meaning to the central representation. No exceptions to this were his two contributions to the UEE Collections, “Granadas“ (Pomegranates), the exuberant femininity which he portrayed in 1966, and “Anciano con perdices“ (Old Man with Partridges) in 1974, a portrait in the costumbrista style in the trend of the Andalusian school from which he came.

It was this particular style which made him famous and earned him public and critical acclaim the world over in many individual exhibitions, and which also earned him awards such as from the San Telmo Royal Academy in Seville.

Francisco Prados de la Plaza, journalist and professor at Madrid's Universidad Complutense, says that on observing his paintings “...One’s retina is impressed with and immersed in scenes, colours, a pleasing and beautiful ambience, which lead one to reflect upon the importance in painting of the balance of linear and colour sensations presented with a magnificent and well-constructed drawing..“

1966 José Puyet Pomegranates Oil on canvas 81 x 65 cm.	1974 José Puyet Old man with partridges Oil on canvas 100 x 81 cm.