From the second half of the 19th century, artistic practice took a new direction. This idiosyncrasy is reflected in each of the works that, from Sorolla to Barceló, passing through Picasso, Miró or Zabaleta, make up the collection under bidding.
In an era of profound social, political and cultural transformations, the field of art began an evolutionary dynamic of styles that followed one another with increasing speed, leading to the artistic avant-garde. This evolution not only implied a plastic transformation, but also entailed a profound reflection on the nature of reality, perception and human experience.
The Industrial Revolution, with its promise of progress and modernity, brought with it a radical change in the social structure, giving rise to a new urban environment, which inspired artists to explore more contemporary themes. Thus, in an ever-changing world, where old traditions were beginning to crumble, the function and purpose of art was also redefined.
Nineteenth century: The road to modernity
In this context, movements such as realism and impressionism began to emerge, each with its own vision and approach, reflecting the complexities of modern life. This progressive rupture can be seen in the evolution of artists who, like Joaquín Sorolla, underwent a gradual transformation, influenced by the revolutionary innovations of the French impressionists. And we find a great example of this in the costumbrista scene, prior to the development of his luminist style, whose composition still denotes the academicist influence of his training, as can be seen in the choice of subject matter, as well as in the attempt at realism and preciosity. This meticulousness and detail will give way to a rapid, palpitating and spontaneous brushstroke, which becomes a vivid frame of the light, color and atmosphere of his beloved Mediterranean.
It is also key to highlight how Sorolla’s impressionist luminism coexisted with such different visions as that of Romero de Torres. Considered the representative of symbolism par excellence in Spain, the Cordovan artist breathed with true mastery a deep emotional and symbolic charge into his portraits, especially the female ones. Through his palette of dark colors and his use of light and shadow, Romero de Torres succeeded in transmitting the states of the soul, often linked to themes such as death, suffering or passion, in line with the ideals of symbolism.
Twentieth century: The artistic avant-gardes
These transformations came to fruition in the 20th century with the artistic avant-gardes that, with an atomization of styles and currents, coexisted, opposed, influenced and confronted each other, representing a radical rupture with everything that had gone before. Movements such as Cubism, Surrealism, Dadaism, Abstract Expressionism or Informalism defied the established norms to explore new techniques. Thus, through the fragmentation of reality, the play of colors, form and abstraction and delving into the unconscious, they reformulated the conception of artistic practice, to the point of questioning traditional notions of beauty, aesthetics and the function of art in society.
Thus, we can observe how in a century deeply marked by war conflicts, art turned to an unprecedented introspection, reflecting tensions, traumas and the need to rebuild both personal and collective identity. In this regard, this period will be characterized by a heightened subjectivity, in which artists found refuge to express individual emotions and perspectives. Through these avenues, they portrayed the reality of what has been called the “century of horror”.
In this context, immersed in a constant process of construction and destruction of the image, artists such as Picasso, Miró, Rivera, Zabaleta, Saura and Tàpies taught us new ways of seeing and interpreting the world. Through their work, it became evident how art stopped trying to reproduce reality in a mimetic way and began to express that reality from a completely subjective vision, where expressiveness prevailed over objectivity. This turn, far from seeking an exact representation, was oriented towards an emotional and personal interpretation, opening new horizons in the way of understanding and reflecting the human experience.
Thus, we can affirm that, as one of the most revolutionary stages in the history of art, the artistic avant-gardes have left a deep and lasting legacy, which continues to shape contemporary artistic creation and is reflected in such outstanding figures as Miquel Barceló or Javier Mariscal, whose constant experimentations address the limits of art in the current context, while keeping alive the essence of the avant-gardes.
Antonio Saura
Joan Miró
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Miquel Barceló
