Rafael Forns

RAFAEL FORNS Y ROMANS (Valencia, 1868 – Madrid, 1939).
“View of the Paseo del Prado,” 1917.
Oil on panel.
Signed, dated, and inscribed “To the Marquis of Santa María de Pilosta”
in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 39 x 55 cm; 49 x 66 cm (frame).

Rafael Forns offers us a view of the Paseo del Prado, one of Madrid’s most iconic spaces, enveloped in an atmosphere of extraordinary subtlety of light. The sweeping perspective of the promenade, sparsely populated by small figures wandering among bare trees and monuments, is enveloped in a golden haze that softens the contours and makes light the true protagonist of the composition.

Rafael Forns began his training in the fields of medicine and education; however, his passion for painting began to take the place of his profession starting in 1913. He settled in Madrid, where he participated in numerous artistic gatherings with artists of the time, such as the painters Sorolla, Cecilio Plá, and Anglada Camarasa. His painting, as can be seen in this work, is characterized by an Impressionist style. He was a painter who specialized in landscapes and the effect of light on them. In 1917, he became president of the painting department at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, and in 1918, he opened his first solo exhibition simultaneously in Barcelona and Valencia. He subsequently continued to hold both group and solo exhibitions, notably participating in group exhibitions in London, Paris, and Venice, and in 1929 he was awarded the third prize for painting at the Barcelona World’s Fair. Today, his work is divided between private and public collections, such as those at the Museum of Castellón.