11 - RAMON MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894).

RAMON MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894). Preparatory study for “El somatent del Bruc,” 1866. Oil on panel. Measurements: 17 x 23 cm; 30 x 37 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. Painting on panel created by Martí Alsina as a preparatory study for the large canvas "El somatent del Bruc" (1866), now housed at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona. All the figures and details of the final painting are already present in this composition, and one can already sense the epic and vigorous tone influenced by Eugène Delacroix and Horace Vernet, French Romantics whom Martí Alsina had admired since his early visit to the Louvre in Paris. Delacroix’s influence is palpable in the dynamism of the figures, depicted in the foreground, and the variety of their poses. This painting is part of a series dedicated to immortalizing historical episodes from the War of Independence in Catalonia—events that were deeply moving to him and still fresh in the memory of his generation, given the heroic defenses of towns close to his heart, such as Girona and Mataró. Considered one of the leading figures of 19th-century Spanish Realism, Ramon Martí Alsina played a decisive role in the renewal of Catalan painting by linking artistic practice to the direct observation of reality and the study of nature. His work broke with academic conventions and brought Spanish painting closer to the European realist movements of his time. His pictorial language is distinguished by his attention to light, compositional solidity, and the authenticity of his settings. He focused particularly on landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes—especially those of Barcelona—as well as portraits, genre scenes, nudes, and history painting. His evolution toward a freer and more spontaneous style demonstrates his ability to renew the expressive resources of painting. As a teacher, he advocated direct observation over academic models and influenced artists such as Joaquim Vayreda, Modest Urgell, and Josep Lluís Pellicer, helping to lay the foundations of the modern Catalan school. His recognition at the National Fine Arts Exhibitions in Madrid, where he won medals in 1858 and 1860, cemented his national reputation. His work is featured in prominent public collections, such as the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, and the National Art Museum of Catalonia.