Antoni Utrillo

ANTONI UTRILLO VIADERA (Barcelona, 1867 - 1944).
"The letter". ca. 1900.
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the upper margin.
Measurements: 50,5 x 35,5 cm; 82 x 67,5cm (frame).

The scene presents an elegantly dressed lady, seated with haughty demeanor in a simple chair that does not distract from the prominence of her figure. Her impeccably cut silk dress, with a high collar, reflects the refined fashion of the period and suggests a firm, upper-class personality. The satin greens of the dress contrast with the pearly tone of her face and the burgundy background. On her face there is no sign of obvious emotion after reading the letter: neither the glow of joy nor the shadow of disappointment, just an expressionless calm that intrigues the viewer. The eyes are huge and deep-set, almost black, standing out greatly in her pearly face. With one hand resting on her forehead, she seems immersed in a reflective pause after reading the letter she still holds in her other hand.

A painter trained at the Escuela de La Lonja in Barcelona, with Antonio Caba, and a boarder in Paris, where he worked in the workshops of Coutois and Colin, Antoni Utrillo became known in various exhibitions in Barcelona. He was co-founder of the Círculo Artístico de Sant Lluc, of the permanent board of the Unió Catalanista and of the magazine "Utrillo & Rialp". He was also dedicated to the poster, within the modernist style. He later lived in Buenos Aires, where he worked as a portrait painter and painted important murals. He is currently represented in the Museum of Catalan Modernism.