Carmen Gal Orendain (1919-2008), better known as Menchu Gal, was born in Irún, Guipúzcoa, Spain. She grew up in a cultured family and began studying art at the young age of seven with the painter Gaspar Montes Iturrioz. Known for her vibrant use of color and her dedication to both landscape and portrait painting, Menchu Gal became one of the most important Spanish artists of the post-war period.
Her artistic journey began early, studying in Paris under Cubist painter Amédée Ozenfant and becoming influenced by Matisse and Fauvism. She later returned to Spain, where she studied at the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts and became involved with the Madrid School and the second Vallecas School. Gal’s work, characterized by vivid landscapes, particularly from the La Mancha region, and her unique approach to portraiture, established her as a pioneering figure in the renewal of post-war Spanish painting. In 1959, she became the first woman to be awarded Spain’s prestigious National Painting Prize.
Throughout her career, Menchu Gal exhibited widely, both in Spain and internationally. Her works were showcased in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including at the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon (1971), the Conde Duque Cultural Center in Madrid (1990), and the Venice Biennale on three occasions. Her art is held in important collections, such as the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum and the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid. Recognized for her contributions to Spanish art, she received numerous honors, including the Gold Medal of the Provincial Council of Guipúzcoa in 2005, becoming the first woman to earn this distinction. In 2006, she also received the Gold Medal from the City of Irún.
