Josep Amat

JOSEP AMAT PAGÈS (Barcelona, 1901 - 1991).
"Urban scene".
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower margin.
Measurements: 60 x 66 cm; 64 x 79,5 cm (frame).

In this work, Josep Amat deploys his luminist mastery to capture the essence of urban life through a vibrant and deeply spontaneous look. The scene, a tree-lined promenade bathed in clarity, is articulated by an elegant vertical rhythm of trunks that not only structure the space, but also invite the viewer to enter into a barely suggested architectural background. This architecture, far from being a rigid description, acts as an atmospheric backdrop that reinforces the identity of the place without detracting from the explosion of light that defines the whole.

Amat's brushstroke, loose, energetic and generous in matter, endows the surface with a tactile richness that turns the exploration of color into the true heart of the painting. Through a palette dominated by fresh greens, blues and warm yellows, the artist manages to convey that Mediterranean vitality so characteristic of his production, where the everyday is elevated to the category of poetic instant. The human figures, barely sketched with agile strokes, bring dynamism and a human scale that reinforces the sensation of a lived and moving space. Inscribed in a line that dialogues with post-impressionism and lyrical expressionism, this piece stands out for its freshness and its ability to transform an everyday scene into a masterful study of light and atmosphere.

Josep Amat is remembered as the leading exponent of 20th century Catalan impressionism. His work is represented in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, the Museum of Montserrat and the National Art Museum of Catalonia.