Carlos González Ragel (December 22, 1899 - November 28, 1969) was a Spanish painter and photographer.

Biography

Early life

González was born in

Jerez de la Frontera Jerez de la Frontera (), or simply Jerez (), is a Spanish city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, located midway bet ...

, Spain on December 22, 1899 to a middle-class family. His father, Diego González Lozano, owned a photography studio and taught his son photography. At age nine, González's mother died and his father spent less time with him. González attended the College of the

Marianists The Society of Mary ( la, Societas Mariae) abbreviated SM is a clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men ( brothers and priests) commonly called the Marianists or Marianist Brothers and Priests. Its members add the nominal ...

, but dropped out due to conflicts with teachers. At age 16, González and his brother Diego moved to

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the Largest cities of the Europ ...

. González enrolled in the School of Arts and Crafts, but did not finish his studies there. It was reported because his style of painting was not acceptable at the school. González returned to Jerez to work with his father and his brother Javier in the photography studio.

Career

González created a form of pictorial expression that he called "Esqueletomaquia". He defined that as "... the art of seeing beyond what reach our eyes." He sees living things as they are in their transitional passage on earth, but as they will take some time after buried or enclosed in a niche. It's death, in his representation of skeleton pruning. Moreover, by virtue of his strange and peculiar vision, skulls or skeletons of their "victims" have a strong

physiognomic Physiognomy (from the Greek , , meaning "nature", and , meaning "judge" or "interpreter") is the practice of assessing a person's character or personality from their outer appearance—especially the face. The term can also refer to the general ...

resemblance and body. It is recognized immediately. For their studies of the human body, used, no doubt, of the films included in the work of

Andreas Vesalius Andreas Vesalius (Latinized from Andries van Wezel) () was a 16th-century anatomist, physician, and author of one of the most influential books on human anatomy, ''De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem'' (''On the fabric of the human body'' ' ...

' ''De Humani Fabrica Corporis'' published in 1543 and which had an issue. heir skeletons represent the destination to death with a black sense of humor of its author as well as analyzing expression of a society. Rachel laughs at death and it makes her smile and harmless. His creations do not inspire terror or darken thoughts. Their dead are funny people, jocund, who have not learned yet that they no longer live or still "good health".

Pablo Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...

admired his painting was an attempt to represent life and death of critically and poignant true to his nature. González staged six exhibitions. He opened the first on February 16, 1931 with figures as skeletons in the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

. The exhibition emphasized drawings and caricatures, from politicians to ordinary people. After González closed his photography studio, he spent his time painting, with periods of high production and others of inactivity. Jose Franco said in an article published in ''World Chart'' in 1931 that González works are full of "satirical prints" with which the author makes a critical social and human aspects of the time using "metamorphosis and deformation reality." In 1936, González, suffering from

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomi ...

, first entered the Psychiatric Hospital of Malaga. After leaving the hospital, he and his wife Amalia went to

Seville Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula ...

. However, his condition deteriorated again and he was admitted to the

Psychiatric Hospital Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociat ...

in Seville. In 1937 González held his third exhibition in Seville, exhibiting esqueleotomaquias of celebrities and politicians. Back in Jerez lives in a house on the road cutting to the christening as Villa Esqueletomáquia. In this house lives with great hardship and in which it said was missing anything. There was no lack of truth and the phone, ham, cheese and the maid were painted on the wall. In 1941 the hotel celebrated its fourth exhibition Swan with pictures similar to that of Seville, and in 1942 set out in the

Hotel Palace The Westin Palace Madrid (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Hotel Palace'') is a luxury hotel located at Centro (Madrid), Centro in Madrid, Spain, on the Carrera de San Jerónimo, with exteriors to Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, Calle del Duque de M ...

in Madrid. From that date onwards his painting became darker, with translation of states of suffering and nightmares, similar to what happened to Goya.

Later life

In 1955 González held his last exhibition at the Swan Hotel. He was soon admitted to the

sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...

of St. John of God in

Ciempozuelos Ciempozuelos () is a municipality in Spain located in the Community of Madrid. The municipality spans across a total area of 49.64 km2 and, as of 1 January 2020, it has a registered population of 25,104. Geography The municipality is located in ...

, where he spent the rest of his life. González continued to draw and paint. He created esqueletomaquias of

Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of West ...

Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 174616 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, and e ...

, and Van Gogh. On November 28, 1969 González died.

Legacy

From December 2007 to March 2008 an exhibition entitled The Spanish Night was held at the Museo Nacional Reina Sofía Modern Art. Flamenco, avant-garde and popular culture 1865-1939. Twelve of his works were displayed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ragel, Carlos Gonzalez People from Jerez de la Frontera 1899 births 1969 deaths 20th-century Spanish painters 20th-century Spanish male artists Spanish male painters