96 - RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894).

RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894). “Portraits.” Set of three drawings on paper. One of them is hand-signed, and the others bear the estate’s seal and the signature of Ricard Martí Aguiló, the artist’s son. Measurements: 15 x 14 cm; 14 x 8.5 and 17 x 12.5 cm; 31 x 52 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. Ramon Martí Alsina stood out as a remarkable draftsman, an essential aspect for understanding his entire body of artistic work. For him, drawing was a fundamental tool for observing and studying reality, closely linked to his realist approach. He consistently practiced sketching from life, studying figures, faces, landscapes, and everyday scenes with a confident, spontaneous, and expressive line. His drawings demonstrate his ability to synthesize forms and quickly capture gestures, postures, and the effects of light, while also revealing a solid understanding of anatomy and volumetric construction. This intensive drawing practice served as the foundation for his paintings—whether portraits, figurative compositions, or his celebrated landscapes—and contributed decisively to the renewal of Catalan art education and artistic practice in the 19th century. Considered one of the key 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 life from 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.