Eduardo Arroyo

EDUARDO ARROYO (Madrid, 1937–2018).
“Chimney Sweep I,” 1985–1986.
Etching on Arches Velin paper. Print no. 64/75.
Signed, titled, and dated.
Measurements: 49.5 x 59.5 cm (image); 56 x 76 cm (paper).
In 1980, Eduardo Arroyo created the series “Los Deshollinadores,” one of the most distinctive projects in his pictorial output of those years. In it, he depicts a series of figures dressed in the traditional attire associated with this ancient trade: black suits, top hats, and an elegant appearance that is marked by the harshness and manual nature of the work they perform. This contradiction between the figures’ refined appearance and the humble nature of their occupation is one of the most evocative aspects of the series.
Far from offering a traditional or documentary-style depiction, Arroyo transforms the chimney sweeps into figures steeped in symbolism. As is the case in much of his work, the figures appear isolated, solemn, and endowed with a strong, almost theatrical stage presence. The artist uses these characters as vehicles to explore issues related to identity, representation, and the construction of images laden with cultural and historical meanings.
The choice of the chimney sweep is no accident. Traditionally, this trade has been associated with soot, darkness, and invisible labor, carried out far from the public eye. However, Arroyo transforms these workers into the absolute protagonists of the composition, bestowing upon them a monumental dignity. The characteristic black color of their clothing also becomes a powerful visual device that structures the image and reinforces the figures’ visual impact.
The series is rooted in the figurative language that characterized Arroyo’s career, as one of the leading representatives of the Spanish New Figuration movement. His work is distinguished by the incorporation of literary, historical, and popular references, as well as by a critical and ironic perspective on reality. In “Los Deshollinadores,” the artist combines these themes with a refined aesthetic, creating images of great visual power in which the characters take on an almost symbolic dimension.