Ramon Barnadas Fábregas (1909–1981) - Picnic en el campo

Picnic in the Field

Author: Ramon Barnadas Fábregas (1909–1981)

Date: 1951

Technique: Oil on panel

Dimensions: 24 x 33 cm

Dimensions with frame: 44 x 53 cm

Signature: Signed and dated in the lower right corner.

Very good condition

Provenance: Private collection

DESCRIPTION

This delicate rural scene by Ramon Barnadas, titled Picnic in the Countryside, captures a moment of family tranquility beneath the shade of the trees, with the sea in the background. The female figures, seated on the grass and bathed in Mediterranean light, evoke an atmosphere of harmony and contemplation.

The work stands out for its loose and lively brushstrokes, characteristic of the post-impressionist style that distinguishes the artist, with particular attention to the light colors in the canopy of leaves and the subtlety of the sky. The composition clearly shows the influence of the School of Olot, where the landscape becomes an emotional vehicle beyond mere naturalistic depiction.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF THE ARTIST

Ramon Barnadas Fábregas (Olot, 1909 – Vic, 1981) was a prominent Catalan painter associated with the School of Landscape Art of Olot. From a young age he trained at the Escola de Belles Arts in Olot, was a pupil of Iu Pascual and later taught at the same institution. During his career Barnadas evolved from a realistic style to a more expressive painting, in which the treatment of light and color played an essential role. His work was recognized both in Spain and abroad, with exhibitions in Mexico and Switzerland, and awarded with national landscape prizes.

SCHOOL NAMES

Barnadas’s painterly sensibility can be linked to that of other great 20th-century landscape painters such as:

- Joaquim Mir: for his exuberant use of color and light in natural scenes.
- Isidre Nonell (and his most intimate scenes): for the humanity and quiet reserve of the figures.
- Emili Grau Sala: for the atmospheric approach and Mediterranean themes.
- Hermen Anglada-Camarasa: in terms of the chromatic gestures in certain landscapes.

Especially in his gardens and outdoor scenes with figures.