Light upon the Canal (Venice)
1.350 €
This exceptional work by Josep Marfà Guarro (1928–2014) represents a unique collector's piece within second-half 20th-century Catalan lyrical landscape painting, drawing directly from the post-impressionist tradition and the Mediterranean luminism of the Sitges and Olot Schools. Trained under the mentorship and spiritual influence of leading figures such as Oleguer Junyent, Marfà also draws upon the synthetic fluidity of Eliseu Meifrèn and the chromatic boldness of Anglada Camarasa, reinterpreting urban landscape with a plastic freedom that borders on a controlled fauvism. In this depiction of a Venetian canal, executed in oil on a wood panel finished with delicate perimeter marquetry, the artist achieves a painterly synthesis where light itself becomes the true subject, creating a vivid tension between warm sunlit architecture and cool turquoise water reflections. The artwork is presented in a sophisticated floating mount against a black velvet backdrop, free from visual constraint, allowing the painting to suspend gracefully like a prized aesthetic jewel. The lightness of this floating panel contrasts masterfully with the commanding presence of its monumental classical frame, featuring water-gilded ribbed molding and a relief floral border, turning the entire piece into a luminous lightbox of extraordinary heritage value.
TechniqueOil sobre madera
Dimensions50x46cm
YearCirca 1988
ArtistMARFÀ, Josep
MARFÀ, Josep
Born in Barcelona on May 17, 1928, and passed away in the same city in 2014. His artistic inclination emerged at a very early age through his father's connection with the painter Oleguer Junyent, whom he adopted as a mentor by constantly observing his drawings and paintings, which sparked his passion for art. He studied painting at the School of Fine Arts and Crafts, the Baixas Academy, and various artistic centers in Barcelona. During the 1960s and 1970s, he traveled extensively across Europe, connecting with fellow painters to exchange ideas in his pursuit of color and technique to express his impressions more intensely. He began exhibiting in 1968, from which point his paintings became a regular presence in private collections and museums across Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and England. Neither the Americas nor Asia could resist the charm of his artwork. His oil paintings and watercolors connect with the Catalan landscape tradition in the symphonic colorist style pioneered by Joaquim Mir, which he adapted with remarkable skill to the aquatic reflections of his seascapes and harbor views. His perception of color is rich in nuances; his light, deft brushwork contrasts with harmonies of warm and cool tones alongside interplay of complementary colors.
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