Ramón Martí Alsina

RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894).
Lady in a Garden.
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 47 x 27 cm; 57 x 37 cm (frame).
Considered today as the most important figure of Spanish Realism, Martí Alsina was part of the European avant-garde of his time. He revolutionized the Spanish art scene of the 19th century, pioneered life drawing, and founded the modern Catalan school, as well as serving as a mentor to an entire generation, with notable disciples such as Vayreda, Urgell, and Torrescassana. He began his studies in philosophy and literature, alternating them with evening classes at the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona until 1848. After completing this initial training and deciding to pursue painting, he took his first steps in the Maresme region, where he began to earn a living by painting naturalistic portraits and “en plein air” landscapes. From 1850 onward, his artistic career took root; in 1852, he was appointed professor of line drawing at the Escuela de la Lonja in Barcelona, and two years later he began teaching figure drawing. In 1853, he traveled to Paris, where he visited the Louvre and became familiar with the work of Horace Vernet, Eugène Delacroix, and French Romanticism. Later, he would discover the work of Gustave Courbet, the leading exponent of Realism. In 1859, he was named a corresponding member of the Sant Jordi Academy of Fine Arts in Barcelona. His first major exhibition was the 1851 General Exhibition of Fine Arts in Barcelona. From that point on, he exhibited regularly in Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris, and was invited to the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. He worked in the genres of landscape, the human figure, and historical and biblical themes.
In this work, the painter focuses his attention on the figure of a woman depicted among the flowers in a garden. The artist masterfully renders the whites of the dress with free, light brushstrokes, composing an intimate and somewhat idealized scene that resembles the style of painting practiced in France by the “Juste-milieu” painters.
Works by Martí Alsina are preserved at the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, the National Art Museum of Catalonia, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona, the Museum of Montserrat Abbey, and the Empordà Museum in Figueras.