30.1. Benjamin Palencia

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30.1. Benjamin Palencia

Audioguide

Benjamín Palencia was born in Barrax, Albacete, in 1894. Founder of the Vallecas School along with the sculptor Alberto Sánchez, he is considered one of the renovators of Spanish landscape painting, revolutionizing the way of observing and understanding life in the La Mancha countryside. His work combined avant-garde and tradition, participating in the so-called Spanish New Art. In his book, Introduction to Spanish Painting, Moreno Galvan says this of the artist:

"Palencia is the first recognized master of national landscape painting. [...] From structuralism he has moved on to visualism. And, although it is true that in his painting all the visual conquests of impressionism are present, this movement is surpassed by him, precisely because of the dose of earthly connection that transcends it in expressionism."