Josep Serrasanta

JOSEP SERRASANTA (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1916 – Valldoreix, Barcelona, 1998).
“Guitarist and Dancer.”
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 37 x 45 cm; 42 x 50 cm (frame).

Born in Argentina to Catalan parents, Serrasanta lived in Catalonia from childhood. There, he studied at the La Lonja School of Arts and Crafts and completed his training as a student of Francesc Gimeno. Although he also explored other subjects such as still life, he soon gained recognition for his beautiful landscapes of small abandoned villages, as well as for his depictions of everyday people, such as his famous young Gypsy girls from Barcelona. He also pursued mural painting, creating decorations in various Catalan churches using tempera, fresco, or oil techniques. Particularly noteworthy are the much-admired murals he created in the Church of Santa María de Castelldefels (1950–58), as well as the paintings on the three domes of Lleida Cathedral. He held a solo exhibition in Tarrasa and, later, at the Augusta Galleries in Barcelona in 1950. He also held solo exhibitions on several occasions in Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia, Paris, and various cities in the United States and Japan. His work, rooted in traditional concepts, is characterized by his energetic use of the palette knife and vibrant color palette. In 1964, he won the Cannes International Grand Prize, and later the French government awarded him the Grand Croix du Commandeur au Mérite National Française. His work is currently represented in various public and private collections, primarily in Catalonia.