Ramón Martí Alsina

RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894.
“La Tardor.”
Oil on panel.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Certificate of authenticity included, issued by Barrachina & Ramoneda.
Measurements: 35 x 21 cm; 53 x 40 cm (frame).
Considered today to be the most important figure in Spanish Realism, Martí Alsina was part of the European avant-garde of his time. He revolutionized the Spanish art scene of the 19th century, was a pioneer of life drawing, and the founder of the modern Catalan school, as well as a mentor to an entire generation, with prominent disciples such as Vayreda, Urgell, and Torrescassana. He exhibited regularly in Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris, and among his awards are the medals he won at the National Exhibitions in Madrid—third prize in 1858 and second prize in 1860. His subjects include numerous landscapes and seascapes, cityscapes (especially of Barcelona), portraits and human figures, genre scenes, expressive female nudes, history paintings, and biblical scenes. He rarely painted still lifes, though he did produce a few. 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. In this work, the artist depicts a genre scene in brown tones, featuring a woman carrying a bag and a basket filled with various fruits, with the melon on her left arm standing out. Through his characteristic, meticulous brushwork, Alsina captures the sheen of the food, as well as each of the shadows cast by the folds of the shirt. The subject, with a serious expression but smiling eyes, has a well-defined face characterized by a delicate and elegant complexion, typical of the Catalan artist’s style.