Antoni Tàpies

ANTONI TÀPIES (Barcelona, 1923–2012).
"Als mestres de Catalunya," 1974.
Color silkscreen on treated Kraft paper, edition XXXI/L.
Signed and numbered in pencil.
Published by Sala Gaspar, Barcelona. Printed by Alexandre Tornabell.
Bibliography: Mariuccia Galfetti, *Tàpies. Das graphische Werk. L'œuvre gravé. 1973–1978*, Eker-Verlag, St. Gallen, 1984, cat. no. 486, p. 111.
In good condition. There is a small scuff on the right margin.
Measurements: 210 x 100 cm; 227 x 117.5 cm (frame).

This monumental silkscreen print is one of the most striking pieces in the portfolio *Als mestres de Catalunya*, published by Sala Gaspar in 1974 and consisting of eight lithographs and one large-format silkscreen print, accompanied by two poems by Joan Brossa. In it, he displays his characteristic vocabulary of stains, graphic elements, letters, and symbols with particular force, articulated through large masses of black and gray against the earthy tone of the paper, with intense red accents that create tension in the composition.

The choice of Kraft paper is essential to the work’s character. Its rough, unassuming surface evokes the walls, earth, and everyday materials that nourished Tàpies’s poetics, while the large format allows him to bring techniques from his painting into the print: scraping, calligraphic gestures, crosses, Xs, and seemingly spontaneous strokes take on a physical and monumental presence.

Created in 1974, the work also belongs to a period of growing cultural and civic significance in the artist’s oeuvre. The title itself, the Sala Gaspar edition, and its connection to Joan Brossa place the series within the context of the affirmation of Catalan culture during the final years of the Franco regime, without for that reason losing the artistic and material autonomy characteristic of his artistic language.

Antoni Tàpies was one of the key figures of European Informalism and one of the most internationally renowned Spanish artists of the second half of the 20th century. A co-founder of Dau al Set in 1948, he developed his own artistic language based on matter, the sign, and the incorporation of non-traditional materials. His work has been the subject of major international exhibitions and is represented in institutions such as MoMA, the Centre Pompidou, and the Reina Sofía Museum. In 1984, he founded the Fundació Antoni Tàpies—now the Museu Tàpies—dedicated to the preservation and promotion of his legacy.