Colnaghi, London, is delighted to present a survey of painting by Spanish artists of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, opening 3 July 2020.

The Golden Age of Spanish Modern Art comes at a time of renewed interest in this period, and follows exhibitions appraising ‘Catalan Modernisme’ at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Many of the featured artists, amongst them Ramon Casas, Francesc Miralles and Joaquim Sunyer, moved from Barcelona to Paris, and the exhibition seeks not only to examine the impact of this on their work, but to also re-evaluate and acknowledge their contribution to the canon of Modern Art.

To realise this presentation, Colnaghi, London (est. 1760), has collaborated with two of Barcelona’s most influential and venerable galleries, Sala Parés (est. 1877) and Artur Ramon Art (est. 1911), combining more than five hundred years of collective knowledge and experience.

The Golden Age of Spanish Modern Art is comprised of fifteen works by twelve artists. All of them trained at the art academies of Barcelona, but, as with Picasso, many were drawn to Paris, at the time the epicentre of the artworld. The variety of styles and techniques presented here attest to their absorption within the city and the influence of their peers and contemporaries.

For example, Joaquim Sunyer’s Cabaret scene in Paris (1904), a pastel work depicting a singer on a stage, echoes the work of French caricaturist Honoré Daumier, while one of the figures, tall and thin, is reminiscent of the alluring women painted by Hermen Anglada Camarasa in his

nocturnal scenes. The work belongs to the artist’s youthful period spent in the French capital, and the influence of Toulouse Lautrec and Théophile Steinlen — two major influences on young Spanish artists like Picasso and Sunyer — is evident.

A more genteel aspect of city life is revealed in Francesc Miralles’s Into the Park. Paris, Bois de Boulogne (ca. 1895-1896). In this painting, a nanny walks a child with a cart while two elegant women walk in front of her. The viewer is transported to the Bois de Boulogne which was transformed into a leisure park by Napoleon III in 1852. The work is a fine example of Miralles’s signature style, combining fresh colours with a depiction of bourgeoise life, demonstrating his connection with the work of modern artists and his awareness of the Impressionists.

Sant Hilari (1882) by Ramon Casas, is a key work for understanding the pictorial evolution of the artist. It was the first painting that he presented to the public in a gallery and perfectly exemplifies the experimental capacity of a young artist of just sixteen. The landscape is presented in a vertical format and is constructed from loose and spontaneous brush strokes, referencing Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot’s compositions. As in Corot’s works, Casas captures the lushness of the forest, achieving depth from different areas of light resulting from the freedom and speed of the brush. The scene is enlivened by the small figure of a donkey whose details in red and blue add dynamism to the picture.

Says Colnaghi Gallery’s CEO, Jorge Coll: ‘In staging this exhibition, we are seeking to reconstruct the local Spanish art scene at the turn of the 20th century. Many of these artists are relatively unknown to the rest of the world, and we hope that this exhibition will help bring them to wider public recognition and restore the prestige of arguably one of the best schools of painting in Europe.’

All images courtesy of Colnaghi.

Note: Due to the Covid 19 restrictions, the exhibition is by appointment only.
Please either contact t. +44 20 7491 7408, or email, contact@colnaghi.com

For press information please contact Albany Arts Communications:

Mark Inglefield
mark@albanyartscommunications.com
t: +44 (0) 20 78 79 88 95; m: +44 (0) 75 84 19 95 00

Harry Dougall
harry@albanyartscommunications.com
t: +44 (0) 20 78 79 88 95; m: + 44 (0) 77 69 51 25 42

Notes to Editors:

About Colnaghi Gallery
Founded in 1760, Colnaghi is one of the oldest commercial art galleries in the world with an unmatched history. From the late nineteenth century, Colnaghi became the leading dealership of Old Master paintings, selling masterpieces to the greatest collectors and museums of the gilded age. The only major commercial gallery to specialise in artworks from antiquity through to the modern era, Colnaghi handles unique objects from the Ancient World, the finest Old Masters and Modern masterpieces. With galleries and experts in London, New York, and Madrid, Colnaghi is able to offer an unparalleled service and programme of exhibitions and events.

Colnaghi’s exhibitions showcase the finest Old Masters, Ancient and Modern works of art in the world. Past exhibitions have included a temporary gallery space in Venice for the 58th Biennale, which merged the spirit of the Grand Tour with the desires of the 21st-century traveller. Colnaghi London’s past exhibitions have presented opportunities to cross collect from an array of diverse categories. Forthcoming shows in London and New York will offer a superb breadth of paintings, drawings, sculpture and ancient works of art, telling the stories of exquisite and rare art and objects from across the globe.

Colnaghi, London
26 Bury Street
London SW1Y 6AL
Contact t. +44 20 7491 7408, or email, info@colnaghi.com
Due to the Covid 19 restrictions, the gallery is by appointment only.

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