Emilio Grau Sala

EMILIO GRAU SALA (Barcelona, 1911 - 1977).
"The lunch".
Oil on cardboard.
Signed in the lower left corner.
With Sala Parés label on the back.
Measurements: 38 x 45,5 cm; 57 x 64,5 cm (frame).

Emilio Grau Sala deploys here one of the most characteristic themes of his production: intimate scenes starring elegant female figures in bright and refined environments. The artist constructs the scene by means of a loose and vibrant brushstroke, where color acquires a leading role.

The chromatic richness and the pictorial matter applied with spontaneity bring dynamism and freshness to the work. This way of working, close to the post-impressionist tradition and the spirit of Parisian painting of the mid-twentieth century, is one of the hallmarks of Grau Sala's pictorial language. The scene conveys a sense of lightness and elegance, traits very present in the artist's work during his mature period.

Grau Sala developed a large part of his career in Paris, where he achieved notable international recognition and actively participated in the artistic environment of the French capital.

In the French capital he became acquainted with the avant-garde, although he maintained a colorist figuration close to impressionism and fauvism, linked to the spirit of Bonnard and Vuillard. He achieved great international recognition, exhibiting in Barcelona, Paris, New York, London and Los Angeles, and also working in graphic work and scenography.

His work is preserved in institutions such as the Museo Nacional de Arte de Cataluña, the Museo Esteban Vicente and the Instituto Óscar Domínguez de Arte y Cultura Contemporánea.