José María Fenollera

JOSÉ MARÍA FENOLLERA (Valencia, 1851 – Santiago de Compostela, 1918).
Untitled.
Oil on canvas.
There is a slight tear in the lower right corner.
Signed in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 78 x 98 cm.
This work by José María Fenollera is part of his academic and symbolist body of work, in which the artist frequently draws on classical mythology as a vehicle for the idealized representation of the human figure. The scene depicts a group of nude young women dancing among the clouds, accompanied by small cherubs, in an ethereal space that combines the natural and the celestial in a fully allegorical vision.The composition is set in a suspended atmosphere, where the figures float in an undefined space that reinforces the dreamlike quality of the scene. From a technical standpoint, the work stands out for its loose and fluid brushwork—typical of the artist’s preparatory studies or sketches—in which form is suggested rather than precisely defined.
José María Fenollera received his academic training in his hometown, studying at the renowned San Carlos School of Fine Arts. Later, thanks to a scholarship awarded by the Provincial Council of Valencia, he was able to travel to Rome, alongside Pinzo and Sorrolla. After completing his time in the Italian capital, he moved to Paris, where he studied photogravure. Upon returning to Spain, he began working at the Royal Tapestry Factory, for which he painted several cartoons. In 1887, he moved to Santiago de Compostela, where he had secured a teaching position at the city’s School of Fine Arts. His work was strongly linked to regionalism, although it was in the field of portraiture that he achieved great critical acclaim. In fact, he went on to paint portraits of the most prominent figures of the time, such as Cardinal Pavá.