Jesus Carles Vilallonga

JESÚS CARLES VILALLONGA (Girona, 1927-Barcelona, 2018).
"Child with nest", 1962.
Oil on panel.
Signed and dated in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 60 x 40 cm; 73 x 53 cm (frame).

Vilallonga's style is colorist, influenced by primitivism and avant-garde as seen in this child figure holding a nest with chirping birds. Jesus Carles Vilallonga lived a decisive stage of his life as an artist in Montreal, Quebec. There, in 1958, Vilallonga signed an exclusive contract with Max Stern, owner of the prestigious Dominion Gallery in Montreal, who was in charge of presenting contemporary European artists Henry Moore, Marino Marini, Van Dongen and Picabia in Canada. He exhibited in other important cities such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona.

Jesús Vilallonga studied at the School of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi in Barcelona, under the direction of masters such as Labarta, Montaner, Ribera, Santasusagna, Marés and Farré. He held his first individual exhibition in 1947, in the halls of the City Council of Girona. In 1953 he won the first prize at the Fine Arts Exhibition of the Virreina, in Barcelona. In the same year he made a study trip to Europe, visiting Paris, Brussels, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and, of course, Italy. When he returned to Barcelona in 1954, he exhibited his works at the Argos Gallery, obtaining great critical acclaim.