By Cau Ferrat Museum
Cau Ferrat museum: Santiago Rusiñol’s paintings
Beauty looks
Psychological portraits, intimate portraits, definitely, friendship portraits
Bohemian (Miquel Utrillo) (1890) by Santiago Rusiñol i PratsCau Ferrat Museum
Rusiñol paints his friend Miquel Utrillo seated in front of a firewood heater in the flat they shared in the Orient Street in Paris. Beyond the grey and ochre colours that dominate the picture, the orange brush-strokes of the fire heater.
Painting each other (1890) by Santiago Rusinol and Ramon CasasCau Ferrat Museum
Friendship between Santiago Rusiñol and Ramon Casas took them to La Cerdanya. That’s the only work painted at four-hand.
In front the figure of Rusiñol, Casas at the back. Both placed in the shade, avoiding light that can only be seen in the lightened back wall.
This Santiago Rusiñol complete portrait, drawing on paper, is impressive, with a firm stroke that reflects the psychology and attitude of the bohemian young artist that then was Rusiñol.
Figure is an essential part of this work, while courtyard surrounds her and helps to show off girl’s beauty that seems unaware of painter’s presence. Colours are bright and lively and the little girl smells amazed the carnation.
This is one of the most beautiful portraits that Rusiñol ever painted.
Portrait of Miss Mac Flower (Matilde Escalas) (1894) by Santiago Rusiñol i PratsCau Ferrat Museum
This portrait done without any commitment, for the fact of not being subjected to any directive, allows Santiago Rusiñol to work in a wider field as far as painting solutions. As is revealed in the treatment of the dress and the yellow curtain on which cuts the figure.
The painting was painted in Paris.
The tension of the face, the suspicious look and the dodging position of the person present us how taciturn and tormented the sculpture Carles Mani was.
Santiago Rusiñol represents him half-body sitting in a chair, dressed in a black jacket that contrasts with the two-colour background.
Portrait of Modesto Sánchez Ortiz (1897) by Santiago Rusiñol i PratsCau Ferrat Museum
The portrayed was a very important person in the life of Santiago Rusiñol. Director of La Vanguardia form 1888 to 1901, when he modernized the publication that became leader of the independent press in Barcelona.
Modesto Sanchez Ortiz became part of the cultural life of Barcelona, opening the newspaper to young artists and intellectuals of that time.
From his paper he did diffusion of the Modernism Feasts and by extension to the Modernism temple that was the Cau Ferrat.
This Ramon Pichot’s painting placed in the artist room presents a young Rusiñol that has his left hand in his pocket and his right hand, thin as a pianist, hidden between the buttons of the coat on his chest. It reminds us the famous picture known as “The nobleman with his hand on his chest”, by El Greco.
Ramon Pichot was one of the most regular artists during Cau Ferrat splendour.
Enric Morera directing the choir "Catalunya Nova" (1897) by Santiago Rusiñol i PratsCau Ferrat Museum
Rusiñol and Morera both shared the enthusiasm for the “religion of music”. That’s’ why Rusiñol painted this portrait of Morera as a letter of introduction, the day of the first performance of “La Fada” at Prado’s Casino in Sitges.
Significantly, the chosen scene was the one that the musician Morera leads the men choir of the “New Catalan Society” that was recently founded.
On the 10th of January a lot of elegant people attended in Sitges the celebration in honour of Santiago Rusiñol, promoted by Catalan intellectuals.
The main and most crowded event of the program was held at the foot of the El Greco’s monument, where he was handed a wrought iron laurel and oak bouquet and this wonderful Casas charcoal drawing.
Consorci del Patrimoni de Sitges
Museu del Cau Ferrat
C/ Fonollar s/n
08870 Sitges
93.894.03.64
museusdesitges@diba.cat
www.museusdesitges.com
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.