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Knowledge resounds in one of the hearts of Madrid culture. The Nebrija University He has dressed this Monday in full length to present what, they promise, is a pioneering course in the world: the ‘Master in Painting with historical and narrative content in Spain’, organized hand in hand with the Ferrer-Dalmau Foundation. In a good afternoon, and before a packed auditorium, the event started with the words that Arturo Perez-Reverte –absent due to scheduling problems– has asked to read to those present: “Let the students prepare, because it will be a tough experience”. A mantra that she has repeated Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau, brain of the project: «It will be very demanding for them, but I ask for effort. They will come out very prepared.”
Today marks the culmination of a journey that began months ago with a dual purpose.
On the one hand, to create a master’s degree that would introduce the pictorial and historical tradition in the Spanish university environment; the place you deserve. On the other, take advantage of the wisdom and extensive experience of an artist at the forefront of Europe. “My days are numbered, like everyone else. Therefore, my goal is for this work to continue. I am going to teach them everything I know so that they continue to evolve », he explains. His dream, he insists, is for the students to surpass the teacher. “It will be a great pride for me.”
pictorial tradition
That is the essence of the master’s degree: that the four decades of experience treasured by the ‘Painter of battles’ do not disappear. «I feel the history of Spain as mine and I see that I have many things left to paint. My obligation as an artist is to pass on my knowledge to others so that the genre continues.” Added to this is a booming market. “I want our country to be a power in the genre. We have all the numbers for it. We are a nation with a unique creativity », he adds to ABC. And this is only the beginning, because in the near future the course will also dive into modeling and digital imaging.
The words of Pérez-Reverte himself have emphasized the importance of painting to objectively unravel the deeds of our most patriotic past. This “History as knowledge of facts», and not the «historical rancor in which we are experts» for decades. Because it is time to be able to represent the most outstanding episodes of our nation without fear. «This will favor History, true memory, intelligence and culture; so orphaned, so needy, always so mistreated”, the academic highlighted.
Although, although the history of Spain will be one of the vertices of the course, Ferrer-Dalmau emphasizes that the master’s degree is also aimed at foreign students. “We will give them the keys to paint their story,” he insists. All periods will be analyzed, from the Middle Ages to World War II. «It is true that there are many snapshots of the forties, but art is a different form of expression. There are scenes that have not been photographed and that it would be enriching to have. The first example that comes to mind is the Normandy Landings: «The photos of D-Day are few, with the brushes you can give a different perspective».
To forge this new generation of historical painters, Ferrer-Dalmau will have a wide range of teachers; first swords all of them in their respective fields. Pérez-Reverte himself will collaborate in the master with a class in which he will reveal the secrets of the naval world. «He will teach you how to capture the Spanish Navy in a painting. He was the one who taught me and now he will do the same with these fifteen students ». They will not miss either Ricardo Sanz –among the best portrait painters in the world– or the historian David Snows. «It will give them the keys to knowing how to document themselves: which sources are acceptable and which ones should be rejected. Her job is to provide documentary rigor to the students », she completes.
Special Forces
Ferrer-Dalmau will also share his knowledge in a subject. “I will guide you to learn how to make a painting from scratch; his initial approach. The key, she says, will be to give them the premises so that they can imagine the specific scene from the past that they intend to transfer to the canvas. What is the great secret of the teacher? The painter is clear: «Read and read. You have to soak up books until you find that paragraph that grabs you. From that point the ideas spring up in the mind and you can start building the work. “This is how we achieve what we want: to give an image to historical events to remember them.” Being the photographer of the past, in short.
But the first master’s degree in historical painting in the world will not be a walk for the students. To the rhythm of the baton of Pablo Álvarez de Toledo, the main architect of the course, the students will have to dedicate a lot of work and effort to pass the subjects. “They are going to be the Navy Seals of the painting; some special forces”, emphasizes the artist with a mischievous smile. It is true that they will have the full support of the University – for example, a personal and diaphanous space that they can use as they wish to create their works – and of the Ferrer-Dalmau Foundation, but they will have to earn it with their effort. “Not everything is worth it. From here they will come out formed », he completes.
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