Josep Cardona

JOSEP CARDONA (Barcelona, 1878 - Moià, 1922).
"Gypsy".
Bronze sculpture.
Artist's signature and casting signature (partially legible).
With slight localized wear of the patina.
Measurements: 21 cm (height), 22 × 22 cm (base).

Josep Cardona approaches here a subject related to the modernist taste for popular types, treated from a sensitive look and away from the merely anecdotal. The figure appears seated, collected on itself, with a serene and contained attitude that concentrates the attention on the gesture, the posture and the silent expressiveness of the character.

The modeling of the bronze reveals a lively and spontaneous workmanship, visible in the folds of the dress, the irregular base and the vibrant surface of the material. Cardona combines naturalism and impressionistic ease, capturing not only the physical appearance of the figure, but also an intimate, almost introspective atmosphere. The composition, of small format, nevertheless possesses a remarkable sculptural presence, reinforced by the balance between volume, texture and attitude.

Josep Cardona was a Catalan sculptor and disciple of the sculptor Manel Fuxà i Leal. He studied painting, sculpture and engraving at the School of Fine Arts of La Lonja, where he coincided with Pablo Picasso -who portrayed him more than once- and shared a studio in Escudellers Blancs street in Barcelona. He was a member of the Círculo Artístico de Sant Lluc and 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. 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.