Spanish School, late 19th–early 20th century

Spanish School, late 19th–early 20th century.
"Landscape at Sunset."
Oil on cardboard.
In good condition. Shows minor losses of paint along the edges.
Measurements: 14 × 21.5 cm; 20.5 × 28.5 cm (frame).

The freedom of execution and the prominence given to light effects bring this small work closer to the practice of landscape sketching done directly from life. The composition is built up with quick, impasto brushstrokes, particularly visible in the sky, where ochres, yellows, and grays render the evening light that draws the viewer’s attention to the scene. The landscape and the barely sketched buildings are rendered through masses of color and synthetic strokes, secondary to the study of the atmosphere. The small format and the immediacy of the execution reinforce its character as a pictorial study.