50 - RICARD MARTÍ AGUILÓ (Barcelona, 1868–1936).

RICARD MARTÍ AGUILÓ (Barcelona, 1868–1936). “Still Life with Flowers and Birds.” Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower right corner. Measurements: 60 x 100 cm; 85 x 125 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. A Catalan painter, son and disciple of Ramon Martí i Alsina, Ricard Martí i Aguiló was trained directly in the circle of one of the key figures in the renewal of 19th-century Catalan painting. From his father, he inherited a realistic and naturalistic approach to painting, based on direct observation of the model and the landscape, as well as a special interest in capturing atmospheric and lighting effects. Martí i Aguiló produced a relatively varied body of work, focusing particularly on landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and flower paintings, in addition to portraits. He was an active participant in Barcelona’s art scene in the late 19th century: at the 1891 General Exhibition of Fine Arts in Barcelona, he presented *Spring* and two flower paintings, thereby establishing his presence in the city’s official art competitions. Ricard Martí i Aguiló’s career should therefore be understood not only in the shadow of his father’s powerful artistic personality, but also as a significant link in the continuity of Catalan realism between the 19th and 20th centuries. His painting kept alive the naturalist tradition championed by Martí Alsina and passed it on to a new generation of artists through his own work and his teaching.