José Cusachs

JOSEP CUSACHS (Montpellier, France, 1851 - Barcelona, 1908).
"Infantry trumpet".
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 73 x 50 cm; 90 x 60 cm (frame).

This oil painting, in theme and style, is a characteristic work of the Catalan painter Josep Cusachs, considered one of the greatest exponents of military painting in Spain during the nineteenth century.

The central figure, in the foreground, is an infantryman, a trumpet, who stands before us with an imposing presence but with a good-natured face. His gaze, direct and serious, is directed at the viewer, conveying a strong sense of duty and a definite personality. He is dressed in the regulation uniform of the time, consisting of a blue warrior jacket with green badges and laces, wide, bright red pants, and a khaki with a visor. A notable detail is his footwear, espadrilles or espardenyes over gaiters, which anchor the scene in a local context and suggest the harsh conditions of a campaign.

He holds a trumpet in his right hand, while his left hand holds a rifle resting on his shoulder. The setting is an arid, sunny landscape, resolved with loose brushstrokes in ochre and yellowish tones that evoke a field of maneuvers under a cloudless blue sky. In the background, the composition is enriched with other figures that add depth and narrative.

Cusachs demonstrates in this work his technical mastery. He combines a meticulous realism in the representation of the uniforms, the weapons and the features of the protagonist, with a freer and more energetic brushstroke in the landscape. The use of light is fundamental, as it strongly models the figures, creates volumes and accentuates the warm and luminous atmosphere of the day.

José Cusachs was accidentally born in France, as his parents were traveling there, but his art and his life were always linked to two locations: Barcelona and Mataró. In 1865, after passing a competitive examination, he entered the Artillery Academy to pursue a military career. However, in 1882, after a brilliant career that led him to be Captain of the Army for war merits, he asked for retirement to devote himself to painting. Trained in Barcelona under the direction of Simón Gómez, he completed his artistic studies with a stay in Paris, in the studio of Édouard Détaille, one of the greatest experts in military themes, a genre that would be Cusachs' favorite. Within the military themes, this artist was especially inclined to cavalry, due to his passion for horses. In 1880 he settled in Barcelona and began an extensive production of military studies, which were reproduced in the work of F. Barado entitled "La vida militar en España" (Military life in Spain). Previously, before leaving the Army, he had worked as a caricaturist and chronicler of a Spain immersed in a maelstrom of political events, in which he was immersed due to his military condition. During these years he would make his work known through individual exhibitions, such as those he held regularly since 1884 in the Sala Parés in Barcelona, always obtaining great success in sales and critics. In 1890 he was already a regular exhibitor at the gallery, where he showed new works every week. The bond between Cusachs and the Sala Parés was so deep, in fact, that after the painter's death the gallery fell into a period of absolute decadence. Cusachs also participated in official competitions; in 1887 he obtained notable recognition at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madrid with three paintings, one of which was acquired by the regent María Cristina ("En el campo de maniobras"). In 1891 he participated in the Berlin Exhibition and won the Gold Medal for his work "Maneuvers of division". The bulk of his work is collected in the Museum of Modern Art in Madrid and the National Art Museum of Catalonia, as well as other centers such as the Museum of Montserrat, the National Museum of History, the Captaincy General of Valencia, the Artillery Headquarters of Valladolid, the Gallery of Illustrious Captains of the City Council of Barcelona and prominent private collections, such as the Santiago Gramunt.