Mariano Bertuchi

MARIANO BERTUCHI NIETO (Granada, 1884 – Tetouan, 1955).
“Tetouan.”
Oil on board.
Signed and dated in the lower right corner.
Provenance: The artist’s family.
Measurements: 32.5 x 40.5 cm; 40 x 48 cm (frame).
The composition captures the characteristic architecture of the medina, with its whitewashed walls, arches, and narrow streets, brought to life by the presence of figures moving between light and shadow. The artist pays special attention to the intense luminosity of the setting, the contrast between the white of the facades and the bluish tones of the shadows, as well as the depth created by the architectural openings. Notable are the broad, spontaneous, and highly free brushstrokes through which Bertuchi synthesizes forms and captures the atmosphere of the scene without dwelling on incidental details. The work is a representative example of Bertuchi’s sensitivity toward the Moroccan urban landscape, which he approached with a direct and evocative gaze. His body of work, closely linked to Tetouan, played a fundamental role in disseminating the artistic image of Morocco, transforming its landscapes, architecture, and everyday scenes into the protagonists of a personal pictorial universe.
A Spanish painter and illustrator, he is considered one of the leading figures of 20th-century Spanish pictorial Orientalism. He began his artistic training in Málaga and Granada, under the influence of the landscape painter José Larrocha, and later studied at the San Fernando School of Fine Arts in Madrid, where he was a student of Antonio Muñoz Degrain.His first trip to Morocco, in 1898, would have a decisive impact on his career. After numerous stays there, he settled permanently in Tetouan in 1928, a city that became the primary subject of his paintings. He also made significant contributions to institutional and educational endeavors: in 1928, he was appointed chief inspector of Fine Arts for the Protectorate, and in 1945, he spearheaded the creation of the School of Indigenous Arts in Tetouan. He achieved great recognition as a painter, illustrator, and poster artist, promoting Morocco’s artistic image internationally. His work is represented in public collections such as the BBVA Collection, the Casa de los Tiros Museum in Granada, and the Ceuta Museum, which has dedicated a permanent exhibition to him. His legacy constitutes a valuable artistic record of the landscape and culture of northern Morocco during the first half of the 20th century.