In 1916 Alfonso de Olivares enrolled to study Law at the Complutense University in Madrid, while at the same time taking painting classes at the studio of José María López Mezquita. After graduating in Law in 1921 he began to study to join the diplomatic service. In 1923 he moved to Paris to extend his experience and knowledge of his true passion: painting. He lived there until 1932, and struck up friendships with great artists including Pablo Picasso, Pablo Gargallo and Juan Gris. His earliest works were in a cubist style. They were painted in 1926 but were not shown in public until 1934. He subsequently experimented with abstract art before eventually dedicating himself fully to non-figurative surrealism. As well as painting, he also wrote about art in journals such as La Gaceta Literaria (1927), published the essays Arte Moderno ['Modern Art'] (1934) and Las Escuelas Españolas de Pintura ['Spanish Schools of Painting'] (1936) and was a great art collector.
His early death at the age of just 38 means that his output is scant. But although few in number, his works were shown at major exhibitions including an exhibition of painting and sculpture by Spanish artists living in Paris at the Botanical Gardens in Madrid (1929) and an exhibition of architecture and contemporary art at the casino in San Sebastián (1930). His paintings continued to be exhibited after his death, in joint exhibitions at venues such as the Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid), the Schirn Kunsthalle (Frankfurt, Germany), the La Caixa Foundation (Madrid) and the Palazzo Forti (Verona, Italy). In 1976 a monographic exhibition of his work was held at the Exhibition Hall of the Directorate General for Artistic and Cultural Heritage in Madrid.
In 1916 Alfonso de Olivares enrolled to study Law at the Complutense University in Madrid, while at the same time taking painting classes at the studio of José María López Mezquita. After graduating in Law in 1921 he began to study to join the diplomatic service. In 1923 he moved to Paris to extend his experience and knowledge of his true passion: painting. He lived there until 1932, and struck up friendships with great artists including Pablo Picasso, Pablo Gargallo and Juan Gris. His earliest works were in a cubist style. They were painted in 1926 but were not shown in public until 1934. He subsequently experimented with abstract art before eventually dedicating himself fully to non-figurative surrealism. As well as painting, he also wrote about art in journals such as La Gaceta Literaria (1927), published the essays Arte Moderno ['Modern Art'] (1934) and Las Escuelas Españolas de Pintura ['Spanish Schools of Painting'] (1936) and was a great art collector.
His early death at the age of just 38 means that his output is scant. But although few in number, his works were shown at major exhibitions including an exhibition of painting and sculpture by Spanish artists living in Paris at the Botanical Gardens in Madrid (1929) and an exhibition of architecture and contemporary art at the casino in San Sebastián (1930). His paintings continued to be exhibited after his death, in joint exhibitions at venues such as the Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid), the Schirn Kunsthalle (Frankfurt, Germany), the La Caixa Foundation (Madrid) and the Palazzo Forti (Verona, Italy). In 1976 a monographic exhibition of his work was held at the Exhibition Hall of the Directorate General for Artistic and Cultural Heritage in Madrid.