José Gutiérrez-Solana (Madrid, 1886-1945), painter, engraver and writer, presents through his works the most sordid and torn aspects of the Spain in which he lived. Currently considered one of the most significant painters of black Spain, in his texts he offered the same facet as in his painting.

These two volumes gather together his entire literary production. The first contains the two series Madrid, escenas y costumbres (1913-1918) and the second features La España negra (1920), Madrid callejero (1923), Dos pueblos de Castilla (1924) and the novel Florencio Cornejo (1926).

The prologue was written by Camilo José Cela (Iria Flavia, 1916-Madrid, 2002), Nobel Prize winner and admirer of the painter's work. It also includes his speech at the entrance to the Royal Spanish Academy, which dealt with the literary work of Gutiérrez-Solana, and two articles of great interest about the publishers of his work and the censorship to which he was subjected.