13 - RAMÓN CASAS CARBÓ (Barcelona, 1866–1932).

RAMÓN CASAS CARBÓ (Barcelona, 1866–1932). “View of Tamarit Castle,” ca. 1926. Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower right corner. Measurements: 68 x 98 cm; 84 x 111 cm (frame). Work verified by Adriá Codina. A certificate can be issued upon request and at the buyer’s expense. Exhibitions: Sala Parés, “Painters of the Gallery, 1877–1950,” 2026. In this view of Tamarit Castle, Ramón Casas depicts one of the most significant sites in his personal career. The fortress, located along the coast of Altafulla (Tarragona), was closely linked to his relationship with the American collector Charles Deering, who acquired the property in 1916 through the artist himself. The work thus serves as a testament to a place that played a prominent role in Casas’s life during those years. The composition’s appeal lies in the integration of the historic architecture into the Mediterranean landscape. The fortress stands out against the seascape, establishing a dialogue between the solidity of its forms and the vastness of the surroundings. Casas renders the scene with a light, fluid brushstroke and a luminous palette, paying particular attention to the effects of light and the chromatic variations of the landscape. Ramón Casas’s connection to Tamarit dates back to his close friendship with Charles Deering, a businessman, philanthropist, and prominent art collector. In 1916, Deering acquired the old complex, which was then in a state of neglect, and entrusted Casas with overseeing its restoration and refurbishment. The artist played an active role in this project alongside the architect and builder Joan Ruiz, helping to restore the historic complex and transform it into a residence integral to the social and cultural life of the time. Ramon Casas i Carbó was one of the key figures of Catalan Modernism and one of the great innovators of portraiture in Spanish painting of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Trained in both Barcelona and Paris, he absorbed the naturalism, Impressionism, and modern sensibility of the French capital. Alongside Santiago Rusiñol and Miquel Utrillo, he played an essential role in Barcelona’s artistic life at the turn of the century, particularly within the circle of Els Quatre Gats. His work is represented in institutions such as the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), the Museu del Modernisme in Barcelona, the Museu de Montserrat, the Museu Cau Ferrat in Sitges, and the Museo Nacional del Prado, among other public and private collections.