The great protagonists of Catalan sculpture at auction
The sculpture set up for auction on March 23 reflects the splendor that Catalan sculpture experienced throughout the 20th century
Among the works up for bid, the presence of artists stands out, such as Joan Rebull, Manolo Hugué or Apel.les Fenosa , who were absolutely essential figures in the evolution of Catalan sculpture that was torn between the tradition and the modernity of the European avant-gardes.
Coming from a prestigious Barcelona private collection, the pieces at auction stand out for their museum quality , as can be seen from the fact that some of their specimens form part of the collections of museums as relevant as the MNAC, some of the specimens being.
Despite the perfectly distinctive style of each of its creators, there is a common thread that links the entire set and that It transports us, through more than 30 bronzes and terracottas, to our Mediterranean origins where, as we can see, the weight of Egyptian, Greek and Romanesque culture converges with the predilection for themes linked to the earth and the female figure.
Among the most outstanding names in the sculptural practice, it is worth mentioning the presence of Manolo Hugué, whose work is perfectly exemplified in the selection of sculptures and reliefs that we present. The result of the mix between the classical Mediterranean tradition, Egyptian primitivism and the European avant-garde that he assimilated during his years in Paris, Manolo Hugué gives life to volumes as robust and energetic as they are balanced, whose humanity, vitality and closeness will emanate in each of his sculptures.
In addition, We cannot fail to mention Joan Rebull who, as one of the most outstanding Catalan sculptors of the middle of the last century, acted as a link between the Catalan culture before and after the civil war. His aesthetic ideology is splendidly synthesized in this female bust (35266373) whose synthetic realism will be characterized by hieraticism, purity of form and delicacy in modeling . In fact, this archaic hieratism that his figures present gives them a timeless character that, as in this case, does not subtract an iota of the inner life contained in the expression of his gaze.
Another essential figure in the development of Catalan sculpture is Apel.les Fenosa , whose personal style would lead him to international recognition . With the help of Picasso, Fenosa made contact with great intellectuals of the time such as Paul Éluard, Tristan Tzara, Jules Supervielle and Henri Michaux and even had a notorious romance with Coco Channel . Through the works at auction we can perceive the cultural baggage that influenced him so much, and where references to classical literature, music and mythology will be a constant. On the other hand , the female figure will acquire an absolute leading role in a vision that, however, will progressively move away from the noucentista and modernist canons. The allegorical dimension that he gave them leads us towards a process of metamorphosis, where plant forms progressively take over a human body that takes abstraction to the limit.
The collection is completed with figures of the stature of Pablo Serrano, Josep Viladomat or Josep Maria Subirachs. For those who want to see and enjoy all of this delicious sculpture sample, do not hesitate to come to our room in Barcelona.
