The ‘Escena Familiar’ (1905), by José Gutiérrez García (Filuco) and Heinrich Kühn, Museum of Zamora.
The photograph Escena Familiar, displayed in the Museum of Zamora, is a striking depiction of a modest household in early 20th-century Spain. Capturing a moment of daily life, the image provides insight into the social conditions of Zamora around 1905, a time when the city was experiencing economic struggles, rural poverty, and the gradual transformation of its traditional society. The region, largely agrarian, faced challenges such as industrial underdevelopment, limited infrastructure, and high emigration rates, as many sought better opportunities in industrialized areas of Spain and abroad.
The authorship of Escena Familiar remains a subject of debate. While long attributed to José Gutiérrez García, known as Filuco—a Zamoran photographer, painter, and entrepreneur—some evidence suggests a connection to the Austrian pictorialist Heinrich Kühn. The use of gombicromatography, a technique associated with Kühn, and the existence of a copy inscribed with both names support the theory of a collaboration or shared influence. Whether Filuco or Kühn was the principal creator, the photograph stands as a testament to the artistic experimentation of the era and the enduring power of imagery to document and evoke historical realities.
