Mario Granell

MARIO GRANELL (A Coruña, 1915 - Vigo, 1991)
"Crucifixion", 1974
Oil on panel.
Signed and dated in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 90 x 30 cm; 107 x 47,5 cm (frame).

In "Crucifixion", Mario Granell interprets the religious theme from a modern and deeply expressive vision. The figure of Christ, with an almost sculptural anatomy, is resolved by means of a rhythmic geometrization of planes and a palette dominated by green and earth tones, which accentuate the dramatism of the motif. The energetic stroke and the faceted forms reveal the imprint of the muralist and the draftsman, as well as the artist's ability to combine spirituality and modernity in the same image. The work is part of his personal plastic universe, where symbolism and stylization form an unmistakable language.

Mario Granell, painter, poet and designer, was one of the most singular figures of 20th century Galician culture. A disciple of the muralist Camilo Díaz Baliño, he began his exhibition career when he was only fourteen years old and won his first painting prize in 1929. After the Civil War, he developed an important career as a muralist, set designer and poster artist, and in the fifties he moved to Venezuela, where he achieved recognition as the exclusive artist of the Aurora Gallery in Caracas. Linked to surrealism -like his brother Eugenio Granell-, his work stands out for its imaginative force and expressive stylization, to the point that critics have defined his style as authentic "Granellism".