Creu dels Set Braços (Canillo, Andorra)

Created in 1999 and measuring 61 x 47 cm, this superb original work of undoubted mastery executed by hand with a graphite pencil by the renowned artist Vicente Casanueva — born in Jaca in 1940 and residing in Huesca since 1950 — constitutes a crowning piece within his production by portraying with meticulous perfection the legendary and historic Creu dels Set Braços located in Canillo, Andorra, a monument of deep Pyrenean and mythical roots that the creator immortalizes by transforming the autograph drawing into an authentic visual relic of high patrimonial value; anchored in his solid initial training in drafting, which grants him an absolute command of perspective and proportion, the technique of this original drawing stands out for a rigorous, clean, and structured stroke over the contrasts of chiaroscuro, where the vigorous shadows, the dense graphite pencil shading, and the subtle blending endow the rocky relief of the cross and the mountainous environment with a hyperrealistic sculptural volumetry and an intense poetic and luminous force; stylistically, the work connects with the sensitivity of classical vedutism and romantic delight, evoking an atmosphere of archaeological melancholy that suspends time and immerses the viewer in the ancestral memory of the most endearing monuments of the Andorran valleys; this rigorous and refined artistic endeavor has led Vicente Casanueva's original creations to become part of the holdings of prestigious public and museum institutions, with his works found in important collections such as those of the Provincial Diputación of Huesca, the City Council of Huesca, and the City Council of Jaca, thus consolidating a plastic legacy of incalculable historical value that is crowned today by this masterful and evocative representation of the cross of Canillo.