Josep Cardona

JOSEP CARDONA (Barcelona, 1878 - Moià, 1922).
"Girl with basket".
Bronze sculpture on marble base.
Signed.
Presents chipped on the pedestal.
Measurements: 23 cm (height); 2 cm (base height).

Josep Cardona was a Catalan sculptor disciple of the sculptor Manel Fuxà i Leal, he studied painting, sculpture and engraving in the school of Fine Arts of the Lonja, where he coincided with Pablo Picasso - who portrayed him more than once - and they shared workshop in the Escudellers Blancs street of Barcelona. He was a member of the Círculo Artístico de Sant Lluc, at least since 1897, and of the Real Círculo Artístico de Barcelona. He made stays in Paris, the artistic center of the time, which became a must-see to get to know the prevailing modernity. He also worked in Argentina, where he made monumental statues, and in Madrid. Although he did themes of gypsy women, his great contribution were full body and small format portraits of characters, executed with an impressionist vibration, possibly influenced by Pavel Trubetskoy, an Italian sculptor of Russian origin and follower of Rodin. He had a monographic exhibition in May-June 1909 at the Fayans Catalán gallery in Barcelona. In the Rafael Masó Foundation in Girona you can see the sculpture La nodriza dated around 1915.