117 - MIGUEL MASSOT I TETAS (Barcelona, 1883 – Paris, 1968).

MIGUEL MASSOT I TETAS (Barcelona, 1883 – Paris, 1968). “Rural Landscape.” Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower right corner. Measurements: 50 x 73 cm; 65.5 x 89 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. Throughout his career, Miguel Massot worked as a painter and decorator. He initially trained in his hometown of Barcelona at the Llotja School, later completing his studies in Paris, where he came into contact with the avant-garde art movement of the early 20th century. Back in Barcelona, he joined the Sant Lluc Artistic Circle and worked on major artistic projects such as the Palau de la Música Catalana, a landmark of Modernist architecture that is also a compendium of the arts and crafts of that period. Miguel Massot painted the mural “Musical Science versus Inspiration” for the Palace in 1910, and this is the only painting that adorns the building. In addition to mural painting, Massot devoted himself throughout his career to easel painting and frequently participated in the Barcelona Fine Arts Exhibitions, presenting still lifes, figures, flowers, landscapes, and other subjects.