Cullera, 2010

Cirilo Martinez Novillo  

Cirilo Martínez Novillo (Madrid, 1921 - Madrid, 2008) was a prominent Spanish painter and engraver, known above all for his landscapes and regarded as one of the most outstanding representatives of the School of Madrid. He began his training at the School of Arts and Crafts in Madrid and later attended the Higher School of Painting, where he studied under Daniel Vázquez Díaz. Although he was not a member of the Second School of Vallecas, his painting is aesthetically close to that group. He developed a personal style marked by attention to detail and a gift for capturing atmosphere and light. He presented his work for the first time in a group exhibition at the Bucholz gallery in Madrid in 1946 and held his first solo show there the following year. Between 1952 and 1953 he travelled to Paris three times thanks to scholarships. Over his career he took part in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Spain and abroad, earning recognition for his technique and artistic sensitivity. His works are held in major public and private collections, including the Museo Reina Sofía, the Bilbao and Oviedo Fine Arts Museums and the Fundación MAPFRE. His work remains an object of study and admiration in Spanish art.