Jose Ortiz Echague (Guadalajara, 1886 - Madrid, 1980) stands out in the national art scene as a pioneer in pigmentation techniques for photography and, above all, for putting these techniques -characteristic to pictorial photography- to the service of ethnography. This comes at a time when, with the burden of the crisis of 1898, the concept of nation is being reconstructed from a political and philosophical viewpoint, by looking at history and tradition, the invariants. His work, published mainly as photo albums from the Thirties -Espana, tipos y trajes (1933); Espana, pueblos y paisajes (1939); Espana mistica (1943); Espana, castillos y alcazares (1956)- make up the most important documentary body on a historical legacy such as historical clothing, religious events (weddings, funerals, Easter) and other traditional events.