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, also cited in old English-language sources as , is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Sp ...

, 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 (, abbreviated S.M.) is a clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men (brothers and priests) commonly known as the Marianists or Marianist Brothers and Priests. Members append the post-nominal letters "S.M. ...

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

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

. 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

skeleton A skeleton is the structural frame that supports the body of most animals. There are several types of skeletons, including the exoskeleton, which is a rigid outer shell that holds up an organism's shape; the endoskeleton, a rigid internal fra ...

s of their "victims" have a strong

physiognomic Physiognomy () or face reading 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 appearance of a person, object, or terrain without referenc ...

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 Andries van Wezel (31 December 1514 – 15 October 1564), latinized as Andreas Vesalius (), was an anatomist and physician who wrote '' De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem'' (''On the fabric of the human body'' ''in seven books''), which is ...

' ''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 Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, Ceramic art, ceramicist, and Scenic ...

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 (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

. The exhibition emphasized

drawing Drawing is a Visual arts, visual art that uses an instrument to mark paper or another two-dimensional surface, or a digital representation of such. Traditionally, the instruments used to make a drawing include pencils, crayons, and ink pens, some ...

s and

caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

s, 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 the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...

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

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

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

Psychiatric Hospital A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe Mental disorder, mental disorders. These institutions cater t ...

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 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'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, is a historic name for a specialised hospital for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments, and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often in a health ...

of St. John of God in Ciempozuelos, where he spent the rest of his life. González continued to draw and paint. He created esqueletomaquias of

Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...

Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 1746 – 16 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, an ...

, 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. They were displayed in the 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