Manolo Hugué

MANOLO HUGUÉ (Barcelona, 1872 - Caldas de Montbui, Barcelona, 1945).
Untitled.
Ink on paper.
Signed
Measurements: 21 x 15 cm; 36 x 30 cm (frame).

In this drawing, Manolo Hugué captures with great economy of means the energy and movement of the figure, probably a bullfighter, through a loose and synthetic stroke. The line, fast but sure, builds the volume and posture with remarkable efficiency, showing his deep knowledge of anatomy and his training as a sculptor.

Manolo Hugué studied at the Escuela de la Lonja in Barcelona and frequented the artistic environment of "Els Quatre Gats", where he became friends with Picasso. In 1900 he moved to Paris, where he lived for a decade and became acquainted with figures such as Apollinaire, Modigliani, Braque and Derain, beginning his sculptural and goldsmith production.

Between 1910 and 1917 he worked in Ceret, establishing himself as a sculptor and linking himself to artists such as Juan Gris and Picasso. His work, of noucentista roots, stands out for the integration of the human figure in nature and for a synthesis between Mediterranean tradition and the European avant-garde.

He was appointed member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Jorge in 1932, and his work is preserved in institutions such as the MACBA, the Centre Pompidou, the MNAC and the Reina Sofia Museum.