The day the Spanish Watercolour was orphaned.

I wonder how an artwork by Spanish award-winning watercolorist José Estellés Herrero (1929-2005) found its way to a humble stall at Portobello Road Market. I guess it was acquired in Valencia or maybe in Alicante by some British traveler, and eventually his heirs were unable to identify the signature or appreciate the artistic quality of the painting.

 

I found a painting by this Valencian artist at J/M Gallery, 230 Portobello Road, on Saturday 13 June 2020, when the market was beginning to wake up after the pandemic and lockdown. The painting is entitled 'Landscape of Alcalá de la Selva. Teruel', and is an original watercolour on paper. The depicted subject was handwritten on the back of the old, dusty frame that protected the artwork. It is signed with the distinctive 'Estellés' signature lower left, and it is not dated, although I guess it was painted around the 1970s. Its size is 238 x 325 mm.

'Landscape of Alcalá de la Selva. Teruel', by Estellés.

I met Mr Estellés many years ago at a wedding in a monastery near Valencia. At that time, he was already a well-known painter, and me a newly graduated Fine Arts student. His gift to the engaged couple was one of his famous watercolours depicting the 'Albufera'. I had seen some of his paintings in relatives' houses. However, I was not able to recognize his signature until one day after I had acquired the artwork. Surprisingly, one of my nephews owns another of his 'Alcalá de la Selva' watercolours. Hence, I suppose that the Estellés' watercolour and me must have been destined to meet.

Like British artist Ross MacDonald Ross, José Estellés was not devoted professionally to painting, despite being considered one of the most relevant Spanish watercolourists today, due to the perfection of his technique. He was born in Valencia in 1929, a city whose landscapes were the subject of his paintings. He also depicted the surroundings of his hometown, as in this watercolour of Alcalá de la Selva, in Teruel, less than 90 miles away from Valencia. Many of his landscapes are painted using an impressionist technique of subtle tonal values. By using a dynamic brushstroke, Estellés managed to capture the fleeting luminous reflection of water on the landscape. His watercolours of the Albufera of Valencia show his fine technique. He was also attracted by the rural landscape of Teruel, and travelled through its fields and villages frequently.

 

Estellés was a bank employee who enjoyed painting watercolours in his spare time. He spent weekends and bank holidays painting the Albufera, the seascapes and the Valencian countryside, but also the landscapes of nearby villages, as in this watercolour. The artist began to paint watercolours on a self-taught basis. On the initiative of his mentor Miguel Verchili, he became part of the 'Pont de Fusta' group in 1960, where he met prominent local watercolourists such as Federico Amorós, López Tebar, Vázquez Castells, López Escuín and Máñez Llorca.

 

Throughout his life Estellés won numerous awards and prizes, of which the Extraordinary 'Reina Sofía' Prize in the Autumn Salon of Watercolour in Madrid, the First National Watercolour Medal of Madrid, the Madrid City Council Prize (1980), the First Watercolour Prize of the 'Diputación de Barcelona' (1975), the First Prize at the 13th 'Caja de Ahorros de Madrid' Watercolour Exhibition, the 'Ciudad de Albarracin' (Teruel) First Prize, the First Prize of the Segorbe City Council and the 'Goerlich Miquel' Prize are undoubtedly the most important. He was also awarded the Dukes of Alba Prize (1973), the "Carlos Moreno" Prize (1974), the "María Reneses" Watercolour Prize (1978), the "José Prados López" Watercolourist Medal (1980) and the "Eduardo Chicharro" Painting Medal (1986). Many of these awards were practically simultaneous with those of another great watercolourist, Rafael Requena Requena, my watercolour teacher at the Fine Arts University in Madrid. Due to his artistic merits, Estellés was appointed delegate member of the Painters' and Sculptors' Association.

 

He regularly exhibited his artwork in solo exhibitions at the 'Círculo de Bellas Artes' in Valencia and in art galleries in Madrid (Toison Gallery), Valencia (Estil Gallery, San Vicente Gallery and Sala Derenzi) and Barcelona (Sala Austa and Mar Gallery). One of his individual exhibitions took place at the Spanish Embassy in London. His work is on display at the 'Museo Histórico Municipal de Valencia' and at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

 

He died in Valencia on August 15, 2005, at the age of 76, after a long illness. Two days after his passing El País, the newspaper with the largest distribution in Spain, dedicated an article to him ("José Estellés, pintor", El País, 17 August 2005), and artist Rafael Sempere, who is also one of the most relevant Spanish watercolourists, devoted the following verses to him:

 

To the Death of Pepe Estellés.

 

Pepe Estellés died

and with him the light of the Albufera languished 

the rice fields changed color

and in Valencia 

watercolor was orphaned and sad.

 

Many men lost a friend 

and humanity lost a good man.

 

And by twilight of fiery skies 

he went off singing 'Zarzuela' arias 

in search of stellar landscapes, 

unfolding with passion all the sails 

and instead of his Teruel lands 

he found surprised ... the stars. 

 

And telling God "here I am 

to paint you crazy landscapes 

with dreamy colors and pure water 

blue Albufera, red suns, 

blue, green and wheat ochre 

mountain indigo and yellow 

casquivan cloud violets 

and gray from the fugitive winds, 

Castilian mansions, rocky hills, 

centenary trees and trails 

and lands of autumn landscapes, 

pure water ditches and flowing rivers 

and all the light from nature 

that you gave us with generous arms".

 

And sitting at the door of "his house" 

the good Lord said "come in!

 

In July 2008 the Benlliure House Museum in Valencia hosted a retrospective exhibition of this artist ("An exhibition of paintings by José Estellés Herrero will capture 'the beauty of the Valencian landscapes closest to us'". Europa Press. Valencia, 3 July 2008. S. Culture).

 

Literature:

 

José Estellés Herrero, Acuarelista. Ed. Ayuntamiento de Valencia (2000). ISBN 84-95171-42-2.

On December 31st we will celebrate New Year's Eve with joyful music, exploring ancient musical instruments and an artistic piece that will take us to the Duke of Devonshire's Collection and lead us to discover antique drawings from the School of Lorraine. And tomorrow we will celebrate Christmas by continuing our artist route through Hammersmith and Chiswick. Enjoy a happy Christmas Eve!