Jose Vela Zanetti (SPANISH-DOMINICAN 1913-1999)

Lot description

JOSE VELA ZANETTI (SPANISH-DOMINICAN 1913-1999) Lavanderas (Washerwomen) , 1940 tempera on board 88 x 81 cm (34 5/8 x 31 7/8 in) framed dimensions: 105.4 x 98.4 cm (41 1/2 x 38 3/4 in) signed and dated lower left PROVENANCE Private Collection, Puerto Rico (acquired directly from the artist) Thence by descent EXHIBITED (Likely) National Museum of Puerto Rico, San Juan, c. 1940s LOT NOTES The present lot at auction, Lavanderas, was gifted by the artist to the Grandmother of the present owner, who was an assistant at the Museum, where it was exhibited shortly after it was painted. Now known as the Museo de Historia, Antropologia y Arte, that was formerly known as the National Museum of Puerto Rico, and prior to that as the "University Museum" (University of Puerto Rico Museum, Rio Pedras). During the 1950s, Zanetti frequently traveled and exhibited across Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Colombia, further solidifying his reputation as a premier voice of the Spanish Republican exile. This work not only captures the "shimmering" light of the Atlantic coast but also serves as a poignant tribute to the resilience and quiet dignity of the working class, a theme that remained the central pulse of Zanetti’s entire oeuvre. José Vela Zanetti was a titan of mid-century muralism whose life was defined by displacement and the pursuit of human dignity. Born in Burgos, Spain, his trajectory was irrevocably altered by the Spanish Civil War, during which his father was executed. Fleeing the Francoist regime in 1939, Zanetti settled in the Dominican Republic, where he became a cornerstone of the Caribbean avant-garde. His monumental style, characterized by a robust, sculptural treatment of the human form, eventually earned him a Guggenheim Fellowship and the commission for his most famous work: the massive mural Mankind's Struggle for a Lasting Peace at the United Nations Headquarters in New York (1953). Lavanderas is a masterful example of Zanetti’s "social realism" from his prolific Caribbean period. Here, the artist elevates a scene of communal labor - women washing and drying clothes by a river - into a heroic tableau. The figures are rendered with the heavy, powerful limbs and earthy tones that are hallmarks of his muralist style, reflecting the influence of the Italian Renaissance masters and the Mexican muralists. The rhythmic composition, punctuated by the verticality of the stark, leafless trees and the diagonal flow of the river, creates a sense of timelessness and monumental permanence in an everyday domestic act. N.B. Condition reports are available upon request. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals LLC and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.