15 - LUISA GRANERO SIERRA (Barcelona, 1924–2012).

LUISA GRANERO SIERRA (Barcelona, 1924–2012). “Standing Female Figure.” Ulldecona stone. Work published and exhibited in “The Strength of a Woman,” MEAM, 2018. Measurements: 64 x 18 x 19.5 cm. The sculpture now up for auction is an outstanding example of Luisa Granero’s mastery in depicting the female figure, a central theme throughout her entire body of work. The work depicts a young woman in an introspective pose, standing upright as she brings her left hand to her head. Granero succeeds in transforming the solidity of Ulldecona stone into softness and lyricism, achieving a perfect balance between harmony and tenderness. The result is a piece imbued with serenity, intimacy, and restrained poetry. The modeling, of extraordinary technical quality, is based on a synthesis of pure lines and bold volumes that evoke the classical Mediterranean tradition while simultaneously engaging with 20th-century sculptural modernity. This is an exceptional work within Luisa Granero’s body of work due to the maturity of her sculptural language. Sculptures of this caliber have rarely appeared on the market, which gives this piece a unique value within the artist’s career and in the context of 20th-century Spanish sculpture. Luisa Granero was one of the most prominent female sculptors in 20th-century Spain. Trained at the Sant Jordi School of Fine Arts, where she studied under Jaume Otero and Enric Monjo, she very early on demonstrated an exceptional mastery of figurative art, which led her, years later, the first woman to hold a full professorship in sculpture in Spain and to earn a doctorate from the University of Barcelona in 1983. In 1950, she received a fellowship in Paris, where she became acquainted with the work of Maillol, Despiau, and Zadkine. These influences, combined with the Mediterranean tradition, shaped a highly personal style that blended classicism and modernity, imbuing the stone with intimacy, lyricism, and humanity. Her work centered on the celebration of the female figure, rendered with understated lines, restrained monumentality, and an intimate poetry that define her artistic language. Granero was a member of the Royal Academies of San Fernando (Madrid), Santa Isabel de Hungría (Seville), and Sant Jordi (Barcelona), as well as a member of the National Sculpture Society of New York since 1973. Her career was honored with awards such as the City of Barcelona Prize and the Arte Autocugat Prize in 2009. She left a profound mark on public spaces, with sculptures in Barcelona, Zaragoza, and Palma de Mallorca. Among her most iconic works are the reliefs at the University of Barcelona’s School of Law and the monument to Pau Casals. Her international reputation led her to showcase her work in outdoor exhibitions at venues such as Malcesine Castle (Italy, 2004) and Sitges (2007). Today, Luisa Granero’s work is recognized as an essential reference point for 20th-century Mediterranean modernity: an art that combines structural solidity, tactile sensitivity, and a profound humanistic sensibility.