Antonio López: love is what shapes art

Conversations with Antonio López during the creation of Landscapes, his second artist’s book with ARTIKA, as well as the writings featured in the volume, underscore a message that captures the essence of both his personal and artistic identity: “What we had to do was whatever came from within.” And what always comes from within this painter is love —a deep devotion and ongoing admiration for his loved ones, whose presence and opinions fuel his creative impulse. For Antonio López, art is nothing more than the natural way of expressing love for the people and places that shape his life.

Antonio López Torres: more than a family member

“In the summer of 1949, my uncle saw some drawings I had done on my own and thought it was time to step in.”

Antonio López’s admiration for his uncle, the realist painter Antonio López Torres, is almost innate, and it goes beyond family ties to become a profound artistic influence. His uncle was the one who introduced him to art and encouraged him to pursue painting professionally. He was not only a catalyst in the artist’s journey but also his greatest mentor, offering guidance and critique –for instance, when it came to the use of shadows in his painting. Over time, their relationship became a blend of mutual love, respect, and fascination.

El corral (The Corral), 1917, Antonio López Torres. ©Antonio López Torres. ©From photographs of the works: Joaquín Cortés.

In Landscapes, the painter’s artistic journey is traced from its origins to the present, starting off with the period of 1917–1932, years he credits to his uncle: “For me, the painting by my uncle Antonio López Torres encapsulates grace, purity and talent.”

Niño con tirador (Boy with slingshot), 1953, Antonio López. @Antonio López.

Tomelloso: the essence of the first home

Determined to dedicate himself fully to art, the painter faced a sudden crossroads: stay in your hometown or venture out into the world beyond those barriers in search of new horizons – Madrid, in his case.

“Tomelloso is where your life begins, where your family is, and it’s the place that matters most. But I wouldn’t have been able to make a living as a painter there. […] Still, it’s a place you always return to, and it touches your heart.”

Otoño en Tomelloso (Autumn in Tomelloso), 1961, Antonio López. @Antonio López.

However, no one forgets where they come from. When he visits from Madrid, his pencils and brushes flow freely in the warm familiarity of his cherished homeland —a place untouched by the professional pressures of deadlines and commissions. For López, painting is always a sincere act, but there is a kind of freedom that exists only behind the gates of one’s home.

Detail: Tomelloso, Calle Nueva (Tomelloso, Nueva Street), 1980, Antonio López. ©Image of the works of Antonio López: Antonio López, VEGAP, Madrid, 2022. ©From photographs of the works: UMFotografía.

This sense of freedom and sincerity is especially apparent in works that seem unfinished—or, as the artist himself calls them, “stuck at the beginning,” even if that’s their final form. This attitude captures the spirit of a first home, one of the few places in the world where you’re allowed to unplug and create on your own terms.

Mari: artist, muse, and wife

During the early days of his relationship with María Moreno, Antonio López channeled the pain of their temporary separations into his art—using brush, canvas, and pigment as confidants, with the final painting serving as proof that they never truly lost each other. In 1958, López painted Cabeza griega y vestido azul (Greek head and blue dress), evoking her in two ways: on canvas, Mari appears as a sculpted face in clay placed before a window.

Detail: Cabeza griega y vestido azul (Greek head and blue dress), 1958 (intervened in 2011), Antonio López. ©Antonio López.

“We got married on the last day of June and spent the whole month of July traveling across Spain —we chose the Levante coast to see what we could paint.”

Mari en Embajadores (Mari in Embajadores), 1962, Antonio López. ©Antonio López.

Once married, they were never apart again. While he enjoyed painting her in their home or walking through the streets of Madrid, he valued even more the opportunity to see the world through her painting.

“We started painting together, and that’s when I realized how good Mari was. We painted side by side, and I liked her painting much more than mine. I thought she had captured something essential about the place. […] Looking at it now, I think: what a success, for how well she started it, how well she continued, how clearly she saw the essence —while I got lost in the details.”

Detail: Entrada de casa, 1980, María Moreno, © Image of the works of María Moreno: María Moreno, VEGAP, Madrid, 2022. ©From photographs of the works: UMFotografía.

Landscapes by Antonio López: stories told from a Madrid window

-Limited edition of 2,998 copies, each hand-numbered and individually signed by the artist.

-The piece includes an Art Book and a giclée print, both stored and displayed in a custom-designed display case created exclusively for this edition.

-The Art Book is a journey through the artist’s life and work, combining texts and paintings that chronologically present the people and moments that have shaped his career.

-The giclée print, Rosas (2021–2022), is printed on cotton paper and features the artist’s digital signature.