• Portrait by Julio Quesada of a man with dark slicked-back hair, a tie and a green background.
  • Vista de un retrato a la acuarela de un hombre maduro de pelo oscuro, con fondo de pinceladas verdes a la derecha.
  • Detalle del rostro de un hombre de pelo oscuro y ojos castaños, con pinceladas verdes de fondo, en acuarela.
  • Detalle de la frente, los ojos y el pelo oscuro del retratado, en acuarela.
  • Detalle de la barbilla, el cuello y la corbata verde a rayas, con la firma «Quesada» y la fecha abajo a la derecha.
  • Detalle de la corbata verde y de la firma «Quesada» con la fecha, abajo a la derecha, en acuarela.
  • Vista completa del retrato a la acuarela sobre papel con margen: hombre de pelo oscuro con corbata verde y firma abajo a la derecha.
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Julio Quesada Guilabert — Portrait of a mature man — Watercolor on paper (1957)

Julio Quesada Guilabert — Portrait of a mature man — Watercolor on paper (1957)

€273,00 EUR
€273,00 EUR
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Watercolour on paper by Julio Quesada Guilabert (Madrid, 1918–2009), signed and dated 1957. The subject is a mature man whose expression is conveyed through careful observation of the face and freely handled brushwork.

The artist contrasts shadows, which define the volumes of the features, with highlights emerging from the paper itself. Earth and flesh tones combine with greyish greens and blues, while the hair and clothing are treated with more concise strokes. The background accompanies the sitter without distracting from his facial expression.

Rather than idealising its subject, the portrait presents a direct, restrained image: variations in the washes suggest age, presence and character. The result demonstrates the expressiveness watercolour can achieve when drawing and colour work together.

Julio Quesada Guilabert: watercolourist and portrait painter

Julio Quesada Guilabert was born in Madrid in 1918 and trained at the School of Arts and Crafts and the School of Ceramics. Specialising in watercolour, he developed a long career as a portrait and landscape painter, exhibiting in Spain and abroad. In Crevillent (Alicante), a town closely connected with his family, a museum is dedicated to his work.

Technical details

  • Artist: Julio Quesada Guilabert (Madrid, 1918–2009).
  • Descriptive title: Portrait of a Mature Man.
  • Date: 1957.
  • Technique and support: watercolour on paper.
  • Artwork dimensions: 44 × 33 cm.
  • Signature and inscriptions: signed “Quesada” and dated “57” in the lower right corner, according to the artwork’s catalogue documentation.
  • Condition: good overall appearance in the available photographs; please enquire for further details.

The Taller Note

This watercolour of 1957 stands out for its economy of means and attention to the sitter’s expression. Rather than describing every detail minutely, Quesada concentrates expression in the highlights, contrasts and modulation of the washes. An engaging example of his dedication to portraiture during the 1950s.

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