59 - Italian School, 19th century.

Italian School, 19th century. Mythological scene. Mixed media on paper. Measurements: 18 x 24 cm; 32.5 x 38.5 cm (frame). Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. The painter has placed various figures—men, women, and children—around a fishing boat beached on the sand, facing the sea. The presence of the three children, reminiscent of the putti or cupids of classical and Renaissance art, as well as the characters’ gestures, suggests a mythological scene rather than a depiction of fishermen. One of the men plucks the strings of a mandolin while, beside him, a woman lies reclining with a look of abandon. A young man is depicted entirely from behind, gazing out at the sea and the children playing on the shore. The painter has focused on the figure’s anatomy, producing an intriguing study.