Gustavo de Maeztu y su legado: análisis crítico de su obra y museo en Estella-Lizarra [Gustavo de Maeztu and his legacy: a critical analysis of his work and museum in Estella-Lizarra]

Abstract

This article provides a critical analysis of the figure of Gustavo de Maeztu y Whitney (1887-1947), his artistic production, and the monographic museum that preserves his legacy in Estella-Lizarra. Through a study that combines biographical approach, formal analysis of his work, and historical-artistic contextualization, the trajectory of this multifaceted creator is examined, whose production constitutes a unique testimony of the aesthetic currents that converged in Spain during the first half of the 20th century. The work addresses the evolution of his pictorial language, characterized by the monumentality of figures, chromatic exuberance, and constant technical experimentation ranging from oil painting to autolithography or encaustic. Additionally, it analyzes the transformation of the Palace of the Kings of Navarre, an outstanding example of civil Romanesque, into a museum venue, and the characteristics of the collection it houses. The study concludes by highlighting Maeztu’s uniqueness as an artist who integrated diverse influences without fully adhering to any specific trend, the relevance of his artistic legacy, and the contemporary challenges faced by the museum as a cultural institution in the preservation and dissemination of this heritage.