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

RICARD MARTÍ AGUILÓ (Barcelona, 1857–1935). "Landscapes." Set of three oil paintings on panel. One of them is signed "R M." in the lower right corner. Measurements: 13.5 × 21.5 cm each; 19 × 26 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. This set of three small landscapes follows the tradition of plein air painting cultivated by Ricard Martí Aguiló, characterized by direct observation of the surroundings and an interest in the effects of light and atmosphere. The small format of the panels is reminiscent of the practice of oil sketches. These compositions reflect the artist’s interest in landscape as an autonomous genre, within a pictorial conception rooted in Catalan realism of the second half of the 19th century. Ricard Martí Aguiló, son and disciple of the celebrated painter Ramon Martí Alsina, developed a realist body of work focused primarily on landscape, seascape, portraiture, and still life. His painting carried on his father’s naturalistic sensibility, with particular attention to the depiction of light and atmosphere. In 1891, he participated in the General Exhibition of Fine Arts in Barcelona and painted the Portrait of Narcís Monturiol, which is currently part of the Gallery of Illustrious Catalans at the Barcelona History Museum. His artistic output also included numerous studies and sketches from life, notably those created during his stays on the Catalan coast, particularly in Cadaqués and its surroundings.