La Concha Beach and Mount Igueldo
1.100 €
Executed in 1998 in oil on wood, "La Concha Beach and Mount Igueldo" represents one of the most refined, poetic, and masterful views of the San Sebastián bay within contemporary Basque painting. Juan Mari Navascués approaches this iconic landmark of the Guipuzcoan coastline through a distinctly panoramic format that heightens the serenity and breadth of the Cantabrian horizon. The choice of wood as a support is technically decisive, as the firmness of the surface allows the artist to execute an agile, direct, plein-air brushstroke, structuring the wide sandy shore in a rich palette of ocher, beige, and mother-of-pearl tones that capture the water's moisture at low tide. In the midground, the chromatic transition toward sea greens and ocean blues is punctuated by precise touches of light pigment suggesting anchored vessels, while on the right margin the solid mass of Mount Igueldo serves as an unmistakable geographic anchor and an impeccable compositional counterpoint. The true painterly merit of this panel lies in Navascués's extraordinary skill in resolving atmospheric light and the subtle gray tones of Northern Spain, producing a piece of flawless execution, poetic depth, and undeniable iconic appeal for collectors of Iberian landscapes and seascapes.
TechniqueOleo sobre madera
Dimensions66x34cm
Year1998
ArtistNAVASCUÉS, Juan Mari
NAVASCUÉS, Juan Mari
Juan Mari Navascués (San Sebastián, 1940) is a figurative painter with impressionist tendencies and a romantic style, closely linked to the Bidasoa School and the landscape tradition of the Cantabrian coast. Formed during his early career within the Bidasoa artistic circle, his output stands out for its signature use of greys, blues, and luminous tones to capture the atmosphere, beaches, harbors, sea, and inland environments of both the Basque-Navarrese region and the Mediterranean coastline. Coastal views and seascapes of his hometown play a fundamental role in his oeuvre, notably featuring panoramic and atmospheric representations of La Concha Bay, Ondarreta Beach, and Santa Clara Island. Demonstrating a bold, agile technique and keen chromatic sensitivity, he has held over a hundred solo and group exhibitions in galleries and venues across Spain (Madrid, Bilbao, Vitoria, San Sebastián, Zaragoza), as well as internationally, with notable shows in the United States at the Bacardy Gallery and the Bourdines Gallery, at the Sala Calder in Mexico, the Sala C.E. in Bogotá, the Galerie Pfeiffer in Brussels (Belgium), and the Galerie rue de la Pente in Paris (France). His work, honored with distinctions such as the Caral Prize (1975) and the Itxaso Prize (1976), is represented in major private collections, institutions, and art holdings worldwide.
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