Looking closely at the works in this museum, we experience the effect of well-executed Post-Impressionism . The perfection and expression of the subject matter always take precedence over mere visual appeal. The viewer plays a very active role in the psychological and emotional analysis of the depicted events.
No collective Asturian event has been foreign to this universal artist: the apple harvest, processions, pilgrimages, the fish market… But perhaps above all these scenes, and his landscapes, the portraits stand out , in particular the impressive and award-winning portraits of his mother that captivate the viewer with their profound gestures.
This painter's affable nature earned him many friends , some of them prominent figures in the art world, such as Pablo Picasso, whom he met during his time in France and with whom he shared his first prize. But little by little, he abandoned Parisian life and his stay in Rome, as well as the national art circuits (Madrid and Barcelona), to pursue his work in his native Gijón. Perhaps because of this rejection of the various European art movements and his independent approach, and despite displaying impeccable technique, his work was ignored for a long time, only receiving the recognition it deserved in his later years.
He also died in his hometown a few days after turning 100. A decade later, his widow donated more than 700 of his works and objects to the Gijón City Council, which later formed the basis of this Museum in the former Pola Asylum building. This initial collection was gradually enriched with funds deposited by the Jovellanos Birthplace Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts of Asturias. The exhibition is organized chronologically and thematically and includes the most representative paintings from the different stages of his artistic career. Among its holdings is also a significant collection of more than six thousand drawings . The museum aims to showcase his artistic trajectory, with particular emphasis on its significance within the context of Asturian and Spanish art. Several milestones stand out in this trajectory , such as the portrait of Melquíadez Álvarez, which he painted in 1923 at the request of the Congress of Deputies. In 1928, his painting "Dockworkers" was selected for the exhibition "A Century of Spanish Art After Goya," held in Belgium and the Netherlands. In 1930, he participated in the Venice Biennale. In 1933, he held a solo exhibition at the Ateneo de Madrid, the opening of which was attended by Unamuno and Victorio Macho, among others. The following year, the National Museum of Contemporary Art acquired his work "Sailors in the Port of Gijón." The Civil War, which inspired his paintings "The Shelter" and "The Retreat," caught him by surprise in Gijón. In the museum's galleries, we discover a series of personal objects , both from before and after the war. These objects are related to his artistic activity, such as sculptures (an activity he practiced occasionally), his palette and brush box, furniture, and the catalogs of some of the exhibitions in which he participated. The photographs are also very interesting , illustrating everyday aspects of his life and the settings where it unfolded.
The year 1955 is pivotal in his biography, as he was the subject of a grand tribute in Madrid. In 1963, he was named a favorite son of Gijón, and ten years later the Provincial Council of Oviedo bestowed upon him the title of favorite son of Asturias. In 1974, he was awarded the Gold Medal of Fine Arts.
Nicanor Piñole painted until very old age. The last painting he was painting and left unfinished is "El piper de Gijón".
We can visit the museum by following its nine rooms and galleries along its three floors.
Room I: Self-portraits
Room II: The Roman stage
Room III: Family portraits and landscapes of Carreños
Room IV: Painting of genre and urban landscapes
Room V: The Thirties
Room VI: Set of drawings, pastels and watercolors
Room VII: The Civil War
Room VIII: Objects linked to the privacy of Nicanor Piñole
Room IX: Landscapes and portraits of last stage
Galleries: Library and personal items
There are complementary payment services such as audio guides, cultural itineraries and guided tours.
Information:
The Nicanor Piñole Museum in Gijón is open Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and in the afternoon the same hours as weekdays. Admission to the museum is free, yet another reason to visit. Source: Nicanor Piñole Museum.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
