Visiting an Old Master, Madrid
Few days ago I had the chance to visit and meet an old color master. Maybe the last Handmade Oil Paint color artisan in Spain. Since it came to my ears that there was still an artisan manufacturer of oils in Spain, I had no doubt that I wanted to meet him! At that time I was already playing with my pigments, formulas and doing color tests, so I had almost no free time and could not find the right moment… absorbed in my own process. Shortly after the coronavirus arrived to our lives and they locked us up, without any possibility of traveling, even to the neighbouring townn!
Mr. Antonio near to his tricilinder machine. ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels 2021
Months passed until the situation began to relax a little. Our first conversation was on the phone. On the other side, Antonio, answered from his store in Madrid. Hola?! I found myself talking with someone full of energy and passion for his work, who had no qualms about inviting me with a simple “when you can! I am always here!” ... It would take another long months before I could travel to Madrid, until recently. I bought one day for the other the train tickets and I went finnally to meet him in person.
A selection of old oil color tubes, ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels 2021
Antonio has already turned 80 and receives me with a lot of empathy and a big energetic smile. in his old place full of history…
For more than 100 years, from this small store in Madrid, he has been selling and producing top quality artisan oils. Nearby there were quite a few art academies, such as the Real Academia de Artes San Fernando, and many students use to buy their art supplies and paintings at Antonio´s store.
Searching for pigments in the backroom. ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels 2021
Many of the old art schools have been closing lately and fewer and fewer people arrive to buy, apart from tourists, many of them Japanese. "Most people don't know how to distinguish between a good quality artisan oil and a cheap oil of those that are produced in China. And actually that is what the majority of renowned companies do... They produce their products in Asia and the quality is no longer the most important thing for them, but the economic benefit." That makes the products of the artisans have more value if possible! I want to think for myself...
Amazing Colors from old tubes that had not changed since the 60´s or 70´s ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels 2021
Antonio showed me in old photos how his father and his uncle started the store and explained to me how complicated the beginnings and the whole learning process was to gradually create the colors that they currently offer in their palette. About 40 colors and a very special one, that people come to look for and purchase from far, far away... its famous “Tierra de Sevilla”. 
Mixing colors and showing the quality to a customer… ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels 2021
There use to work more than 13 people manufacturing frames, oils and oil paintings and currently only Antonio (with the occasional help of his daughter) manage the store... I am eager to visit it again in winter (time of production!) and I will continue this post with a second part that I am sure will be more than interesting! 
Antonio at his store, ©photo by Alain Bañon, Mamut Pastels 2021
