The Museo ABC Centro de Arte/Dibujo/Ilustración of Madrid exhibits, until the 26th of February, the exhibition ‘La elegancia del dibujo. Crónica de Paris de Carlos Sáenz de Tejada’ (‘The elegance of a drawing. Chronicles of Paris by Carlos Sáenz de Tejada’ in English). The exhibition, for the first time represented in Spain, is organized around 300 drawings that illustrate fashion and were made in the 1930s by Sáenz de Tejada in Paris.

The drawings are a chronicle of fashion at the beginning of the 20th century, and in them we can see the role of women through the aesthetic of the body in those year. In an era of post-war and recession in the world, both events would generate change in production, and fashion begins to have a preponderant role and a strong impact on the economy. These are the years where designers like Coco Chanel emerge, and with her modernism in fashionm that would transform the aesthetics of the feminine figure including, for the first time, trousers as a feminine piece of clothing.

The exhibition, that has the support of the Madrid Council, contains interesting documents that enhance the image of Sáenz de Tejada, like, for example, an article written by the historian Jaime Brihuega, that gives good account of the time, and an article by the New Yorker journalist Judith Thurman.

Carlos Sáenz de Tejada de Lezama, son of an old aristocratic family from La Rioja, was born in Tangiers, Morocco, in 1897. He was a painter, illustrator, decorator, poster designer and also did drawings, always alienated to the main trends of the time. During the Spanish Civil War he actively supported the Nationalist Front, making propaganda illustrations that were in the Press Service and the Propaganda of the National Army in Salamanca. After the war had finished, he collaborated with book illustrations: ‘Poemas de la Bestia y el Ángel’ (‘Poems of the Beast and the Angel’), by the monarchic activist José María Pema and ‘Historia de la Cruzada Española’ (History of the Spanish Crusade’) by the journalist and historian of the Franco regime José Arrarás.

His studies in painting began with Daniel Cortés in Oran and, in 1916, he entered the Royal Academy of San Fernando. He began to publish illustrations from a very young age in important publications of the time such as ‘Nuevo Mundo’, ‘La Libertad’, ‘Elegancias’ and ‘Esfera’ among others. In 1924 he was selected for the Autumn Salon of Madrid, where he shared the honor with painters like Picasso and Gutiérrez Solana.

In 1926, the Junta de Ampliación de Estudios gave him a grant to carry on his studies of mural painting in Paris, staying there until 1935. That’s where he developed a prolific illustrating career at Femina, Harper’s Bazaar, Jardin des Modes, Vogue and Robe, transforming his strokes into a stylish representation of beauty and fashion. These would be his best years of production and they would be put down in 775 illustrations.

For more information: http://www.museoabc.es/es/exposicion/83/La_elegancia_del_dibujo

Nancy Guzman

A good alternative to relax and begin 2012 with positive energies is to rent apartments in Madrid Don’t miss out on this chance to spending a few pleasant days of relax and get to know the work of Sáenz de Tejada at Museo ABC.

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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