Ignacio Pinazo Camarlench was born in Valencia in 1849 and from childhood, given his family’s sensitive economic situation, he worked at different jobs: as a fan painter and hatter. Because of these family commitments, he delayed the start of his artistic education until, finally, when he was 21 years old he started to study at San Carlos’ Academy of Fine Arts.
At the beginning of his career he worked with academic painting but later he developed to impressionism, a style that started between his two stays in Rome. Regarding the theme of his work, the historical themes dominated the start of his career, although following his return to Valencia after his journey through Italy he dealt with family themes, of daily life and landscapes.
Pinazo was named academic by San Carlos and San Fernando’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts. His two sons, Ignacio and José, followed in his footsteps. Nowadays they are remembered in a central square in the city of Valenica. Pinazo Camarlench also lived in the towns of Bétera and Godella, the town where he passed away in 1916 and where nowadays it is possible to visit his house museum.
Therefore, his centenary is celebrated this year with a series of activities co-ordinated by Carlos González Triviño based on the research carried out by professor Pérez Rojas and the ‘Cátedra Pinazo’ [‘Pinazo Professorship’]. The different exhibitions are spread over Valencia in remembrance of Ignacio Pinazo’s work, which one can currently visit in the MuVIM (Valencian Museum of Illustration and Modernity) with the title Del ocaso de los grandes maestros a la juventud artística. Valencia 1912-1927 [“The sunset of the grand masters of youthful arts. Valencia 1912-1927”], open until the 17th of October. Other displays linked to the Valencian painter will be exhibited in IVAM (Valencian Institute of Modern Art), a museum where the largest collection of work belonging to the family donation is located, as well as Atarazanas, Valencia’s Museum of Fine Arts and the University of Valencia’s La Nau Cultural Centre.
The dissemination of these activities will come with the support of the brand generated from the Menta Valencian studio, which ranges between the historical legacy and contemporary value of Pinazo’s work. Menta Studio had to face the complexity of not coming with a artistic archetype or outstanding reference element (case of Pablo Picasso’s firm, for example) and consequently opted to base the new brand on Pinazo’s status as a bridge between tradition and modernity. Hence the oblique line that emerges and unites the letters chosen as reference of the name of the painter. This connection is also made present at the time of choosing the typography used.
