Josep Dalmau Rafel

JOSEP DALMAU RAFEL (Manresa, 1867- Barcelona, 1937).
"Portrait of a lady". Unpublished work.
Pastel on paper.
Signed and dedicated in the upper right corner.
Measurements: 65 x 50 cm; 75 x 60 cm (frame).

Josep Dalmau i Rafel was a central figure in Catalan art, working as a painter, antiquarian and, fundamentally, as the art dealer responsible for introducing the international artistic avant-garde in Barcelona through his Dalmau Galleries (1911-1930). Taking advantage of Spain's neutrality during World War I, he organized pioneering exhibitions -such as the 1912 Cubist art exhibition and the Charchoune abstract art exhibitions-, introduced key artists such as Matisse and Mondrian, supported Picabia's magazine 391, and boosted the international career of local artists by promoting Joan Miró's first exhibition in Paris in 1921. His cosmopolitan vision and boldness filled a crucial void, consolidating Barcelona as a focus of modernity and international artistic dialogue.