Luisa Granero

LUISA GRANERO (Barcelona, 1924 - 2012).
"Female nude".
Patinated bronze.
Signed on the base.
Measurements: 75 × 30 × 22 cm; 82 × 22 × 21 cm (with base).

This bronze sculpture by Luisa Granero is an excellent example of the constants that defined the career of one of the most important figures of Spanish sculpture in the second half of the twentieth century. Trained in the academic tradition, Granero developed her own language in which the representation of the human figure acquired a central role, combining a solid anatomical knowledge with a modern sensibility towards the simplification of forms and the search for compositional harmony. The work in tender presents a nude female figure captured in a serene and restrained attitude. The slightly contrapposto posture, the smooth displacement of the hips and the inclination of the head generate a delicate balance between stability and movement, a characteristic resource of the artist. Far from any anecdotal description, Granero focuses her attention on the essential beauty of the human body, modeled through large volumes and refined surfaces that convey a sense of calm and timelessness.

The feminine theme constitutes, precisely, one of the most identifying aspects of his production. Throughout her career, the sculptor recurrently explored the representation of women as a symbol of beauty, serenity and formal fullness. In this piece, this concern is manifested in the elegance of the proportions, the smoothness of the anatomical transitions and the dignity with which the figure is presented, devoid of accessory elements that distract from her sculptural presence. Bronze, a favorite material in much of his work, reinforces the tactile quality of the modeling and allows us to appreciate the richness of nuances of the surface. This sculpture thus synthesizes some of Luisa Granero's most significant contributions: technical mastery, the vindication of the human figure as the main theme and the creation of a feminine ideal that became one of the most recognizable hallmarks of her artistic production.

Trained at the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes de Sant Jordi, she completed her apprenticeship in Paris, where she had first-hand knowledge of the work of Aristide Maillol, Charles Despiau and Ossip Zadkine, artists who had a decisive influence on the configuration of her plastic language. Her solid artistic career was accompanied by an important teaching and institutional work: she was the first woman to obtain a sculpture chair in Spain, a doctorate from the University of Barcelona and a member of prestigious national and international academies such as the National Sculpture Society of New York. Her recognition transcended the academic sphere thanks to an extensive sculptural production present in both public and private collections.

His monumental work for public spaces was especially relevant, where he demonstrated an extraordinary ability to adapt his figurative language to large dimensions without losing sensitivity or formal balance. Among his most significant works are the reliefs of the Faculty of Law of the University of Barcelona, the monument dedicated to Pau Casals and various sculptures installed in urban spaces in Barcelona, Zaragoza and Palma de Mallorca. These works consolidated her prestige as a sculptor and demonstrate her interest in integrating art into everyday life through a humanist conception of sculpture.