Cirilo Martínez Novillo

Cirilo Martínez Novillo (Madrid, July 9, 1921 - Madrid, July 15, 2008) was a Spanish landscape painter, related to the Madrid School and the second Vallecas School.

He works in different jobs, but cultivates his artistic vocation with visits to the Prado Museum, to see the works of the great masters while observing the work of the copyists. He also spends a lot of time reading classic and contemporary literature. During these years he attended night classes at the Madrid School of Arts and Crafts.

At the end of the 20th century, his work continues to evolve beyond all official recognition. During the last years of his life, and despite his growing health problems, Martínez Novillo lived a new creative moment; This is stated in the presentation of his latest exhibition at the Juan Gris Gallery (2006): "The vitality and rigor displayed by the painter are clearly evident in the canvases in this exhibition, painted with an absolutely surprising freedom and mastery. It is a fresh and young painting, but with the wisdom of a master.