Mariajosé Gallardo’s stirring oil paintings carry both centuries-old influences and qualities of contemporary illustration. The Spanish artist often pairs modern characters with creatures both of and beyond this world. And as a statement suggests, her lush backgrounds have deep roots in art history.
“To create her work, she appropriates many of the resources characteristic of visual manipulation originated in the baroque, mainly the use of the trompe l’oeil or the accentuated cut of the figure on the flat background that is accentuated by the excessive gold leaf,” says La Gran Gallery, as translated. “All this brings a deep drama to the compositions that surprises for its attractiveness.”
See more of Gallardo’s work below.
Looking at the art of 
The intimate paintings of London-based artist