Juan González Alacreu

JUAN GONZÁLEZ ALACREU (Burriana, Castellón, 1937).
“Fallera.”
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 46 x 38 cm, 76.5 x 68.5 cm (frame).
González Alacreu was already taking classes at the age of eight at the School of Arts and Crafts, and at just sixteen he received a scholarship to study at the San Carlos School of Fine Arts in Valencia. There he studied under Sanchís Gago, Genaro Lahuerta, and Bayarri. After completing his training, he worked for many years as an illustrator for various publishing houses, demonstrating his mastery of drawing, until he finally decided to devote himself exclusively to painting. Alacreu’s work stands out for its artistic language rooted in the purity of drawing, the foundation upon which the artist renders light, glimmers, and reflections through vigorous brushstrokes, rich in texture. His paintings feature the female figure as the protagonist, and she always appears linked to the landscape and Mediterranean customs: scenes of daily life in the rice paddies and the Albufera, the overcast skies so common in his region, and so on. His work is, however, highly diverse; while he typically explores traditional scenes and landscapes, his paintings of Valencian women—who wear the regional costume with grace and dignity—generate great anticipation. In these works, we can appreciate—as if looking at a photograph—the great ornamental richness of traditional Valencian dresses. Alacreu reveres the landscape and is passionate about the light and customs of his Levantine homeland, and he captures all of this in his work, which is intelligent and intuitive in its use of color and nearly perfect in its visual composition. Some art critics have placed his body of work within the finest classical-Impressionist tradition, noting a notable influence from Sorolla in his loose, Impressionist technique and his deep concern for the play of light. It should be emphasized that this painter is also a great portraitist, having painted portraits of prominent figures in Valencian society and politics. Furthermore, for many years he served as the official painter for the Fallera Mayor in Valencia. Alacreu has held numerous solo exhibitions in Castellón, as well as in Valencia, Madrid, Zaragoza, and Barcelona, among other Spanish cities. His work is currently featured in the Fallero Museum in Valencia, as well as in various private collections.