Rafael Martínez Vilela

RAFAEL MARTÍNEZ VILELA (Ferrol, 20th century–1974).
“Barca.”
Oil on panel.
Signed in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 32 x 41 cm; 42 x 50 cm (frame).

Rafael Martínez Vilela was a self-taught painter who balanced his artistic career with his work at the Spanish Shipbuilding Society. He focused primarily on landscapes and seascapes, painting from life in an Impressionist style with loose brushstrokes that at times bordered on Pointillism. His work is characterized by the prominence of light and vivid colors, reflecting his admiration for Sorolla and Joaquín Mir. He participated in the group exhibition *Arte Gallega*, held in Buenos Aires in 1928, and presented his first solo exhibition at the Galerías Layetanas in Barcelona in 1936. His work is represented in the Afundación Collection, which holds his painting *Dos amigas*.