Juan Luis Mendizabal

JUAN LUIS MENDIZÁBAL (Lequeitio, 1928 - San Sebastián, 2019)
"Landscape".
Oil on board
Signed "Mendi" in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 36 x 28 cm; 52 x 42 x 4 x 4 cm (frame).

Landscape of rolling hills and fields, built from well-defined color planes and a loose but structured brushstroke. The composition is organized in successive strips that lead the eye towards a small urban center in the distance, harmoniously integrated into the natural environment. The synthetic treatment of the forms reveals a modern interpretation of the landscape, more based on the chromatic construction than on the descriptive detail.

Juan Luis Mendizabal Markiegi, "Mendi", was a Spanish landscape painter closely linked to the Basque Country. Trained early in drawing and painting, he studied with Vicente Cobreros Uranga and Ascensio Martiarena, orienting himself towards a language of impressionist roots. Since the 1950s he developed a career focused on the representation of the Gipuzkoan landscape, especially the beach of Zarauz and the Ratón de Getaria, motifs that he painted repeatedly from direct observation. In 2014 he received a tribute in Zarauz that recognized his long dedication to the landscape and his contribution to local cultural life.