Josep Tapiró

JOSEP TAPIRÓ Y BARÓ, (Reus, 1836 - Tangier, 1913).
"Coastal landscape".
Pencil on paper.
Signed with testamentary seal.
Measurements: 17,5 x 28,5 cm; 37,5 x 48,5 cm (frame).

Delicate landscape sketch made in pencil, in which Josep Tapiró captures with economy of means a coastal view dominated by a rocky promontory crowned by buildings.

This type of drawing responds to the artist's usual practice of making sketches from life, where the agile and precise line captures the immediate impression of the landscape. The work stands out for its spontaneous character and for the clarity with which the space is structured by means of subtle gradations of line.

Trained at the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona and a close friend of Mariano Fortuny, Josep Tapiró developed most of his career in Tangier, where he settled permanently in 1876. There he painted numerous scenes and portraits of Moroccan life, as well as landscapes and sketches from life.

His work, especially known for its refined watercolors, enjoyed great international recognition and is today preserved in institutions such as the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, the Museo del Prado or the Museo Nacional de Arte de Cataluña, among others.