Tomàs Moragas

TOMÀS MORAGAS I TORRAS (Girona, 1837–Barcelona, 1906).
"Ciocciara."
Watercolor on paper.
Signed.
Exhibited in “Tomàs Moragas: The Roman Adventure” at the Sala Parés.
Measurements: 27 x 17 cm; 37 x 27 cm (frame).

A watercolor on paper in which Tomàs Moragas depicts a ciocciara, a female figure from the Italian region of Ciociaria, one of the most popular subjects among artists based in Rome during the 19th century. The woman is shown standing, leaning against a wall, dressed in traditional attire: a white headdress, an embroidered shawl, a bluish skirt, a reddish apron, and layered garments in a rich variety of colors. The figure, depicted in a serene and restrained pose, reveals the artist’s interest in the study of costume, posture, and character.

Tomàs Moragas i Torras was a painter, watercolorist, and teacher, closely associated with the generation of Catalan artists marked by the influence of Marià Fortuny and their formative experience in Rome. His work is characterized by technical precision, a penchant for watercolor, genre scenes, portraiture, and themes inspired by Orientalism or folk art. Upon his return to Barcelona, he became actively involved in both teaching and artistic pursuits. His work is represented in institutions such as the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) and the Museo Nacional del Prado, among other public collections.