Capital; 16th century.

Capital; 16th century.
Carved marble.
Measurements: 33 x 37 x 34 cm.

Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló.
Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935).

Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance.
A capital carved from white marble, characterized by remarkable plasticity and pronounced relief, inspired by classical architectural models and reinterpreted in accordance with the ornamental language of 16th-century Mannerism. Its composition is derived from the Composite order, though it departs from its traditional conventions through a personal reworking of the architectural elements and a greater simplification of the ornamental scheme.
It features a double lower crown of acanthus leaves, set against a fluted background that evokes the striations of a column shaft. This technique, which visually integrates elements characteristic of different parts of the architectural order, introduces a deliberate alteration of classical syntax—a hallmark of the compositional freedom and experimental spirit of the Mannerist sensibility.
In the upper register, the volutes characteristic of the composite capital are replaced by thick rosettes in deep relief, set against a molded background and crowned by an ova molding.