Emili Alba

EMILI ALBA (Barcelona, 1917–?).
"Landscape," ca. 1948–1950.
Oil on canvas.
Signed.
Donated to the October Salon in Barcelona (handwritten note on the reverse).
Measurements: 45.5 x 38 cm; 71.5 x 63 cm (frame).

A landscape with intense chromatic vibrancy and an almost abstract structure. The composition is organized around a network of dark, vertical tree trunks that crisscross the surface, fragmenting the space and revealing a background of ochre, violet, green, and orange tones. The work captures the inner essence of the landscape: a dense forest of trees, reflections, and shadows where nature is transformed into a pictorial rhythm.

Alba works the surface with energetic brushstrokes, featuring visible impasto and intense hallmarks. The landscape moves away from naturalistic representation to become a network of planes, lines, and patches, closely aligned with the artistic innovations that characterized postwar Catalan painting.

Emili Alba, the artistic name of Emili Albadalejo, was a Spanish painter born in Barcelona in 1917. Active in the 20th-century art scene, he developed a body of work particularly linked to landscapes and settings with a strong Mediterranean identity, including Cadaqués. His body of work is documented in specialized publications of the period and in galleries dedicated to Catalan art, such as Francesc Mestre Art. Furthermore, his work has been featured in exhibitions and institutional collections associated with the Museu de Valls in Tarragona.