73 - RICARD MARTÍ AGUILÓ (Barcelona, 1857–1935).

RICARD MARTÍ AGUILÓ (Barcelona, 1857–1935). Set of five seascapes, 1908–1909. Oil on panel. Several are labeled and dated on the lower margin; one of them is inscribed “Cadaqués 18 IX 08.” In good overall condition considering its age. Measurements: 13.5 × 36 cm each; 17 × 40 cm (frames). 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. Dated between 1908 and 1909, these five small seascapes are of particular interest due to their direct connection to Ricard Martí Aguiló’s stays on the Catalan coast and his practice of painting from life. The small format, the rapid execution, and the annotations of place and date allow us to view them as oil sketches, intended to immediately capture the changes in light, color, and atmosphere along the coastline. The collection offers different approaches to the seascape: rocky coastlines rendered with dense brushstrokes alternate with views of calm waters, architecture, and small boats depicted using lighter, more luminous color ranges. The free and synthetic style takes on special significance here, revealing the painting process and lending each panel the spontaneous character of a study made on site. The inscription “Cadaqués 18 IX 08” is particularly significant. Martí Aguiló’s presence in Cadaqués is already documented as early as 1905 through a sketchbook and an oil painting titled *Riba del Poal (Cadaqués)*; there are also six known drawings of Cadaqués and Portlligat dated between 1908 and 1918, a time frame that directly coincides with these small panels. Ricard Martí Aguiló, son and disciple of Ramon Martí Alsina, developed a realist body of work focused on landscapes, seascapes, portraits, and still lifes. In 1891, he participated in the General Exhibition of Fine Arts in Barcelona, and that same year he painted the Portrait of Narcís Monturiol, which is currently part of the Gallery of Illustrious Catalans at the Barcelona History Museum. His connection to Cadaqués also had a documentary aspect, as he practiced amateur photography there and left behind numerous sketches of the town and its surroundings.