Lorenzo Fernández de Viana

LORENZO FERNÁNDEZ DE VIANA (Lanciego, 1866-Bilbao, 1929).
Untitled, 1926.
Relief in bronze.
Signed and dated.
Measurements: 22 x 72 cm; 26,5 x 77 cm (frame).
Lorenzo Fernández de Viana Sáenz de Ugarte was an outstanding sculptor and medalist from Alava. Born into a humble family of farmers in the Rioja Alavesa, his early inclination towards artistic trades led him to take up cabinetmaking during his youth in Logroño. In 1883 he moved to Vitoria, where he entered the School of Arts and Crafts, quickly standing out for his skills in modeling and carving. His training was completed in Madrid thanks to institutional aid, where he studied under the tutelage of the sculptor Aniceto Marinas and attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando.
Fernández de Viana's projection was consolidated at the beginning of the 20th century, parallel to his stays in Paris and his participation in the National Exhibition of Fine Arts, where he obtained several honorable mentions and a third medal in 1908. From this period date significant works such as the Job or the sculptures dedicated to local figures and patrons. His involvement with the works of the new cathedral of Vitoria marked one of the most fruitful stages of his career. However, disagreements in the project led him to move to Argentina between 1912 and 1916, where he continued his professional activity. Upon his return he settled in Bilbao, initiating a final phase characterized by a greater formal freedom and a theme closer to costumbrismo and Basque identity, with works such as La Hilandera or Aura matinal. His late production reveals an evolution towards more modern approaches without abandoning the academic base.