23 - RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894.

RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894. “La Tardor.” Oil on panel. Signed in the lower right corner. Certificate of authenticity included, issued by Barrachina & Ramoneda. Measurements: 35 x 21 cm; 53 x 40 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. Considered today to be the most important figure in Spanish Realism, Martí Alsina was part of the European avant-garde of his time. He revolutionized the Spanish art scene of the 19th century, was a pioneer of life drawing, and the founder of the modern Catalan school, as well as a mentor to an entire generation, with prominent disciples such as Vayreda, Urgell, and Torrescassana. He exhibited regularly in Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris, and among his awards are the medals he won at the National Exhibitions in Madrid—third prize in 1858 and second prize in 1860. His subjects include numerous landscapes and seascapes, cityscapes (especially of Barcelona), portraits and human figures, genre scenes, expressive female nudes, history paintings, and biblical scenes. He rarely painted still lifes, though he did produce a few. Works by Martí Alsina are preserved at the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, the National Art Museum of Catalonia, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona, the Museum of Montserrat Abbey, and the Empordà Museum in Figueras. In this work, the artist depicts a genre scene in brown tones, featuring a woman carrying a bag and a basket filled with various fruits, with the melon on her left arm standing out. Through his characteristic, meticulous brushwork, Alsina captures the sheen of the food, as well as each of the shadows cast by the folds of the shirt. The subject, with a serious expression but smiling eyes, has a well-defined face characterized by a delicate and elegant complexion, typical of the Catalan artist’s style.