Alfred Sisquella

ALFRED SISQUELLA I ORIOL (Barcelona, 1900–Sitges, 1964).
“Female Nude.”
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 46 × 38 cm; 71 × 63 cm (frame).

The study of the human figure is a significant aspect of Alfred Sisquella’s body of work. In this nude, the artist approaches the model through direct and restrained observation, moving away from academic idealization and focusing on the body’s physical presence. This approach aligns with the distinctive naturalism toward which his painting evolved following his early experiences linked to Catalan modernism.

The absence of narrative elements focuses attention on the pose, the anatomical construction, and the chromatic relationships. The result is a sober and compelling figure study, representative of Sisquella’s ability to reconcile naturalistic observation with a modern and essential conception of form.

Trained at the Llotja School under the tutelage of Francesc Labarta, Alfred Sisquella was one of the founders of Els Evolucionistes, a group that emerged in Barcelona in 1917. The figure and the portrait occupied a prominent place in his career, developed from a personal naturalism based on structure, balance, and expressive restraint. His work is represented at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya—which houses, among other pieces, the portrait *Antonia*—and at the Museus de Sitges.