José Vela Zanetti

JOSÉ VELA ZANETTI (Milagros, Burgos, 1913 – Burgos, 1999).
“Peasant.”
Mixed media on paper.
Signed.
Measurements: 46 x 52 cm; 48 x 54 cm (frame).
The paper has some stains.

This work explores one of the most representative themes of José Vela Zanetti’s career: the dignification of the rural world and the figure of the Castilian farmer, depicted not as a minor character but as a symbol of effort, resilience, and humanity.
José Vela Zanetti (1913–1999) was a Spanish painter and muralist born in Burgos. After beginning his career in León, where he held his first exhibition in 1931, he furthered his training through travels in Italy and Madrid. Following the Spanish Civil War, he went into exile in the Dominican Republic, where he co-founded the National School of Fine Arts and developed a significant international career. In 1951, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship to create a monumental mural at the United Nations headquarters in New York—his most iconic work, dedicated to the defense of peace and human rights. The creator of numerous murals in Spain, the Americas, and Europe, Vela Zanetti stood out for his figurative style marked by a strong social commitment. He was a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Burgos. His work is held in major collections and foundations, particularly in Burgos and León.