Ramon Casas

RAMON CASAS I CARBÓ (Barcelona, 1866–1932).
"Self-Portrait Dressed as Saïd de Mar i Cel," ca. 1888.
Watercolor on cardstock.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Accompanied by a report from the Institut d’Art i Investigació de Barcelona, 2009, with an appendix by Rosa M. Martín Ros, curator of the Museu Tèxtil i d’Indumentària de Barcelona.
Condition: The work is in good overall condition. Damage to the frame.
Measurements: 32.5 x 25 cm; 53 x 44.5 cm (with frame).

An interesting watercolor by Ramon Casas, in which the painter depicts himself in a three-quarter profile wearing attire associated with the character of Saïd, the protagonist of *Mar i Cel*, a drama by Àngel Guimerà that premiered in 1888. The accompanying report from the Institut d’Art i Investigació de Barcelona analyzes the attire and highlights its theatrical and idealized nature. The barretina hat, the short jupa, the blue sash, and the sailor’s shirt evoke a blend of Catalan references, nautical elements, and Orientalist style, in keeping with the theatrical atmosphere of that play. Specialist Rosa M. Martín Ros suggests that this is a refined and not strictly realistic interpretation of Saïd’s attire.

The composition depicts the young man with his face slightly raised and a firm, almost defiant gaze. The background, barely sketched, is rendered using soft washes and areas of grayish color, which allows the viewer’s attention to focus on the figure. This approach is characteristic of a modern conception of portraiture: the surroundings are merely suggested, while the face and clothing take center stage.

From a technical standpoint, the watercolor displays a free and luminous execution, with agile brushstrokes and a clear emphasis on the contrast between the red of the jupa, the white of the shirt, and the blue of the sash and bow. The report specifically highlights the importance of these chromatic hallmarks in Casas’s work, as well as the pictorial value of white, used as a focal point of light and as an element separating the figure from the background.

One of the most significant aspects of the work is its identification as a self-portrait. The report compares the figure’s features with other self-portraits and early photographs of Ramon Casas, concluding that the work depicts the artist himself at around 20–22 years of age. This interpretation is particularly compelling, as it connects the piece to Casas’s early interest in theatricality, disguise, and the construction of visual identities—aspects present in other self-portraits from his youth.

Due to its iconographic rarity, its connection to *Mar i Cel*, and its status as a youthful self-portrait, this watercolor is a unique piece within Ramon Casas’s early body of work.

Ramon Casas i Carbó was one of the key figures of Catalan Modernism and one of the great innovators of Spanish painting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He played a fundamental role in Barcelona’s cultural life at the turn of the century, particularly within the circle of Els Quatre Gats, the epicenter of Catalan artistic modernism. His work is represented in institutions such as the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), the Museu del Modernisme in Barcelona, the Museu de Montserrat, the Museu Cau Ferrat in Sitges, and the Museo Nacional del Prado, among other public and private collections. His mastery of portraiture, his interest in urban modernity, and his close connection to the visual culture of his time make him one of the key figures in modern Catalan art.