José Ramón Zaragoza Fernández

Cangas de Onís (Asturias), 1874 - Alpedrete (Madrid), 1949

His roots are akin to those of his master Luis Menéndez Pidal .After enrolling at the San Salvador School in Oviedo and thanks to a grant from the Provincial Assembly, he moved to Madrid to continue his training in the School of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving as a disciple of his Asturian mentor.

The first accolades came with an honorary mention in the National Fine Arts Exhibition in 1897 for his canvas “La lección“ (The Lesson), and subsequent medals in the 1901, 1906 and 1915 editions, for “El niño enfermo“ (Sick Child), “Orfeo en los infiernos“ (Orpheus in Hell) and “Retrato de Mr. Th. S.“ (Portrait of Mr. Th. S.), respectively. In Europe, his talent was admired at the Universal Exhibition of Munich in 1913 and the Paris Salon in 1914.

A grant from the Spanish government enabled him to live in Rome between 1904 and 1910. It was there that he was introduced to the divisionist symbolism of Gaetano Previati, when the movement was at its height. Its influence is clearly evident in the prize-winning Orfeo en los infiernos and in “Tríptico de Prometeo“ (Triptych of Prometheus). Before returning permanently to Madrid, he visited Paris, London, Strasbourg, Brussels and a number of German cities.

By then his style was already consolidated. As well as rural and costumbrista scenes, his most notable legacy are his portraits, clearly influenced by Sorolla. He perfectly represented the bourgeois society around him, as in the two oil paintings he painted for the UEE Collection in 1919 and 1920. Both almanacs illustrated the clear ideals of feminine beauty of the time, the folkloric lady and the distinguished lady.

Skilful at drawing and using colour, he was masterly in the use of light and modelled with smooth realism. His figures wore elegant expressions of peace and balance and he enveloped them in an ambience suited to restful physical serenity. He always brought together expression, design and the use of colour in perfect harmony.

He founded and directed the drawing academy for those aspiring to join the Madrid School of Architecture. The School of Arts and Crafts awarded him the chair in drawing in 1928, after he sat the administrative examination pertaining thereto. Two years later he began to give painting classes at the distinguished San Fernando Royal Academy, and he was elected a numerary member thereof in 1948.

As well as museums such as the Reina Sofía in Madrid, the Fine Arts Museum of Asturias and Jovellanos Museum in Gijón, his work can currently be seen at the cafeteria of the Madrid Fine Arts Circle, where he painted the ceiling frescos after winning the competition for the honour in 1925.

1919 José Ramón Zaragoza The ornamental comb Oil on canvas 60 x 36,50 cm.	1920 José Ramón Zaragoza Lady with dog Oil on canvas 60 x 36,50 cm.