The city walls of Girona

Modest Urgell (1839-1919)

By Girona Art Museum

Museu d'Art de Girona

The city walls of Girona (1880) by Modest Urgell i IngladaGirona Art Museum

Modest Urgell Inglada was a Catalan painter and writer, he was a pupil of Ramon Martí Alsina, and studied under Gustave Courbet in Paris. His work, however, is far removed from Realism and, within academicist canons, announces Symbolism.

This allegorical painting, on the siege of Girona by Napoleon’s troops, shows the deserted city walls of Girona.

At the bottom the skyline of the defeated city in the evening light.

The flight of an eagle evokes the imperial figure of Napoleon.

At the foot of the wall, symbolising the fall of the city, a clump of laurels grows as a token of Girona’s moral victory.

Credits: Story

Museu d'Art de Girona (Agència Catalana del Patrimoni Cultural)

Direction: Carme Clusellas
Technical Team: Aurèlia Carbonell, Irene Forts, Carme Martinell, Antoni Monturiol
Administration: Adriana Cle, Dori Mesa, Mar Ribot
Keeping: Ignasi Arévalo, Jaume Soler
Public Attention Service: Sara Escaño, Pilar Ramírez, Pere Romans
Collaborators: Elena Boix, Àngels Miralles, Clara Saperas, Marc Vila, Montse Vinardell
Digital Adaptation: Irene Forts

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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