Cuca (Portrait of Pere Forment)

"Pere Forment well-known as “en Cuca” was the owner of the Continental café, in Sitges. In the summer of 1895 it was remodelled to be transformed to the Cau Ferrat bar. Six artists that met there were involved in the project: Santiago Rusiñol, Antoni Almirall, Càndid Duran, Arcadi Mas I Fondevila, Joaquim de Miró i Miquel Utrillo. All of them collaborated with the contribution of eleven pictures to decorate the walls of the new premises.

Santiago Rusiñol contribution consisted in two paintings of the old Sitges and a portrait of the owner and friend Pere Forment.

Painting friends portraits, far from the conventionalism of requested portraits, gave him the freedom to represent the portrayed developing his usual activity. In this case, he painted Pere Forment carrying a tray when he was ready to serve one of his customers. He placed him in front of a neutral colour, alone with his own shadow. We remind that at the end of the 19th century, influenced by the Luminista School with he contacted in Sitges, Rusiñol ws interested not only to express feelings but also to capture light effects."