Ramon Martí Alsina

RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826- 1894).
Study for "The great day of Girona", 1863.
Oil on canvas.
It has a serial number added for its conservation during the Civil War.
Presents breakage.
Measurements: 116 x 205 cm; 134.5 x 224 cm (frame).

Preparatory sketch for the final work "The great day of Girona", made by Ramon Martí Alsina in 1863. The final painting, considered one of the most monumental works of 19th century Catalan painting, represents one of the most dramatic episodes of the Siege of Girona in 1809. It is currently part of the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) and is exhibited, on deposit, at the headquarters of the Generalitat de Catalunya in Girona, located in the former church of the Hospital de Santa Caterina.

"The great day of Girona" is a canvas of exceptional dimensions (4.96 x 10.82 meters) on which Martí Alsina began to work around 1863 and to which he dedicated a large part of his life. The artist succeeded in transforming the historical painting into a profoundly realistic representation, far removed from any theatricality. To do so, he carried out a meticulous research on the historical facts related to the Spanish War of Independence, focusing the scene on the heroic defense of the city of Girona against the assault of the Napoleonic troops on September 19, 1809. Before reaching the final composition, he made numerous studies and preparatory sketches.

One of the main reasons that prompted Martí Alsina to undertake this work was his desire to participate successfully in the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madrid. The project was part of his strategy to consolidate himself as an independent painter and to stop depending economically on teaching, with the intention of guaranteeing the stability of his family. Throughout his life, the search for economic independence was a constant for the artist, who promoted several ambitious projects in the hope of achieving recognition and financial security. However, "El gran día de Girona" would also end up becoming a constant source of difficulties and worries.

With this work, Martí Alsina aspired to create a true masterpiece capable of fully demonstrating his artistic abilities. The enormous technical and compositional challenge posed by a painting of these dimensions was to become a declaration of personal prestige before critics, colleagues and potential buyers, definitively consolidating his position among the most outstanding figures of Catalan and Spanish art of the time.

Until then, the largest easel painting in Catalan painting had been "The Battle of Tetuan" (1862-1864), by Marià Fortuny, a work that had initially been offered to Martí Alsina and which he rejected. Everything indicates that the painter wanted to surpass that reference both in size and artistic quality. While Fortuny's work measured 300 × 972 cm, Martí Alsina took his ambitions even further by creating a canvas measuring 496 × 1082 cm, still considered today the largest easel painting in the history of Catalan painting. The chronological coincidence between the two works also suggests a possible desire to compete with Fortuny, twelve years younger, and to demonstrate his artistic superiority in all aspects.

The choice of subject was not accidental either. One of the most interesting aspects is to wonder why Martí Alsina chose a historical episode linked to Girona, a city with which he had no direct personal or family relationship. The artist himself probably asked himself this question before fully committing himself to a project of such magnitude. The heroism associated with Girona's resistance during the war and the epic charge of the episode undoubtedly offered the ideal framework for a great history painting.

Tour of the work: In 1929, "The Great Day of Girona" was exhibited at the Palau de les Belles Arts in Barcelona, a building constructed for the Universal Exposition of 1888 and subsequently demolished in 1943. After the Spanish Civil War, the painting remained for decades in storage and rolled up, never to be exhibited publicly again. The work now belongs to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Thanks to an agreement between the MNAC and the Generalitat de Catalunya, today it can be seen in the old church of the Hospital de Santa Caterina, current headquarters of the Auditori Josep Irla in Girona. Before its final installation, the canvas underwent a major restoration process carried out in 2010 by the Centre de Conservació i Restauració de Béns Mobles de la Generalitat de Catalunya. September 19, 1809: Extract from the book (to be adapted).