Francisca Salvat Homs (1946) - Sueños de infancia

Pictura Subastas presents this magnificent artwork belonging to Salvat Homs, depicting a young girl asleep and cuddled beside her stuffed bear, in an intimate scene that evokes tenderness, protection, childhood memories, and the serenity of home. The painting stands out for its excellent technique and the high pictorial quality it conveys.

• Dimensions of the work: 80.5 x 65.5 x 2 cm.
• Oil on canvas hand-signed by the artist at the top right.
• The piece is in good condition, with some loss of paint at the bottom.

The work comes from an exclusive private collection in Girona.

Important note: the photographs included are an integral part of the lot description. Digital representation in an indicative mockup; there may be differences compared to the actual item in color, scale and details.

The painting will be professionally packed by an IVEX expert, using high-quality materials to ensure its protection. The shipping price covers both the professional packaging cost and the transport itself.
Shipping will be carried out by Correos or GLS with tracking. International shipping available.

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This painting presents a scene of profound tenderness and serenity featuring a girl who sleeps soundly, curled up on a large armchair. Her body folds onto itself in a spontaneous and protected posture, while her head rests gently on one of the arms. Beside her appears a small teddy bear, a silent companion of her rest, introducing a charming note and awakening memories related to childhood, safety, and affection. The composition turns a commonplace moment into an intimate and emotive image, capable of conveying the feeling of having entered, for a few moments, a private space dominated by silence and calm.

The young woman almost entirely occupies the surface of the chair and becomes the absolute focal point of the scene. Her crouched pose follows the chair’s curved shape, adapting to it as if seeking refuge among the cushions. The legs are flexed and crossed, while one arm rests under the head and the other falls relaxed toward the edge of the chair. The naturalness of this position suggests deep, involuntary sleep, perhaps after an intense day, a play afternoon, or a moment of reading and rest.

The face conveys an extraordinary sense of peace. The eyes remain closed, the eyebrows are relaxed, and the lips, slightly parted, reinforce the impression of tranquil breathing. There is no tension in her features, but a complete surrender to sleep. The soft pink, violet, and bluish hues across the skin add depth to the countenance and reveal the delicate transition between illuminated areas and the small shadows that form around the eyelids, the nose, and the mouth.

The head tilts onto the left arm, which acts as an improvised pillow. Under this is a reddish cushion that provides comfort and establishes chromatic continuity with the young woman’s garment. The hand remains near the face, with the fingers gently bent and fully relaxed. This small gesture accentuates the figure’s vulnerability and helps build a scene of great emotional closeness, as if the viewer were looking at a moment normally reserved for family.

The hair flows in broad waves over the back of the armchair. Its chestnut, reddish, golden, and violet tones create a fluid movement that frames the face and extends toward the upper left area. Some strands seem illuminated by warm highlights, while others merge with deeper shadows. The abundance of hair contrasts with the stillness of the sleeping body and provides a rolling rhythm that traverses the composition smoothly and envelopingly.

The young woman wears a garment of intense orange-red color, whose brightness immediately draws the eye. The folds gather around the torso, arms, and waist, creating a succession of dynamic curves. The yellows, oranges, carmins, and small violet nuances enrich the surface of the clothing and make it seem to vibrate within the silent environment. This warm color makes the figure the main focus and establishes a beautiful contrast with the blues on the lower part and the subdued greens of the background.

The right sleeve descends to the hand that falls over the chair’s edge. The fingers appear elongated and slightly separated, without any tension, signifying the complete surrender of the body during sleep. The hand seems to have rested there casually, as if it had slowly lost its position while the girl dozed off. This detail adds authenticity to the scene and reinforces the impression of a moment observed without preparation or artifice.

In the lower half, the figure is enveloped by a blue garment that covers part of the legs. The varying shades, from bright blues to violets and darker tones, build a broad volume that balances the intensity of the red. The curves of this area follow the motion of the bent legs and help enclose the body visually within the chair. The dialogue between red and blue gives the composition great chromatic richness, combining emotional warmth with a sense of tranquility.

The bare legs cross in the foreground and take on a significant presence within the composition. Their rounded forms are modeled with pinks, creams, violets, and orange reflections, creating a sense of naturalness and repose. The gathered knee position reinforces the idea of protection, as if the girl were seeking to keep warm and isolate herself from the outside world. The pose is not rigid but flexible and fully adapted to the available space.

The feet are covered by light socks showing white, bluish, greenish, and yellowish reflections. One rests near the chair’s right edge, while the other is partially hidden by the crossed legs. These small garments add a touching daily detail, reinforcing the domestic atmosphere. Their clarity contrasts with the blue seat and draws the eye to the figure’s extremities, completing the visual path started at the face.

The teddy bear is the second major protagonist of the work. It appears beside the girl’s body, resting on the seat and very close to her arm. Its light fur contains delicate variations of white, pale green, blue, pink, and yellow, while the ears and paws show warm orange accents. The small red bow tied around its neck establishes a direct relationship with the young woman’s clothing and visually unites the two figures.

The arrangement of the bear allows imagining that the girl fell asleep while hugging it or that she keeps it nearby as a comforting presence. Its face, directed toward the viewer, introduces a curious sense of companionship and vigilance. While the girl remains unaware of her surroundings, the bear seems to occupy the role of a loving guardian protecting her rest. This relationship gives the scene a narrative meaning tied to innocence, memory, and the universal need to feel accompanied.

The chair plays an essential role, not merely as furniture but as a refuge that wholly envelops the figure. Its circular or semi-circular seat, in intense blues and violets, forms a solid base on which the body, the bear, and the cushions gather. The backrest, covered by broad pink, lilac, and mauve surfaces, curves around the girl and reinforces the sense of protection. The structure appears to adapt to her posture, creating a small closed universe dedicated exclusively to rest.

The cushions present a rich variety of colors and shapes. Under the head there is a reddish and violet area that softens the contact with the arm, while to the right extends a large pink cushion with white and mauve reflections. These padded volumes surround the girl and enhance the visual comfort of the scene. The abundance of curves avoids any harshness and turns the space into a warm, flexible, and welcoming realm.

The front part of the chair is dominated by deep blues, violets, and small turquoise reflections. Its rounded shape functions as a large platform that supports the entire composition and marks a clear separation from the background. Below, the legs of wood and a dark area suggest depth. The furniture’s solidity contrasts with the emotional lightness of the dream and provides balance to the body’s tilted arrangement.

The background is built through a harmony of greens, turquoises, ochres, and muted yellows. There are no concrete objects to distract attention, so the figure remains isolated within a tranquil atmosphere. The vertical color variations suggest a wall lit irregularly, perhaps by a soft light entering from an external point. This simplicity allows the eye to stay focused on the girl and the affectionate relationship she establishes with the plush bear.

The light seems to distribute envelopingly, without creating overly harsh contrasts. It caresses the hair, the face, the clothing, the legs, and the cushions, leaving small yellow and pink sparkles on the surfaces. The violet and blue shadows provide depth, but do not darken the scene; on the contrary, they help maintain a sense of calm. Everything seems immersed in the warmth of a quiet afternoon, when time slows and sleep comes naturally.

The color range constitutes one of the most attractive elements of the work. The reds and oranges of the clothing bring warmth, vitality, and proximity, while the blues and violets of the chair convey quiet and depth. The greens of the background create a serene environment, and the pinks of the backrest soften the whole. The plush bear, with light tones, acts as a delicate focal point linking all these areas, absorbing reflections from the surrounding colors.

The composition is organized through a succession of curves that guide the gaze around the body. The hair, the bent arm, the back, the folded legs, the rounded seat, and the cushions all participate in the same circular movement. This structure prevents the viewer’s eye from slipping quickly out of the frame and invites them to explore all its details. The girl seems to be contained within a kind of protective circle, visually associated with safety, home, and affection.

The absence of other characters intensifies the intimate character of the moment. We do not know who watches the girl, what happened before she fell asleep, or how long she has been resting. Precisely this lack of information allows for multiple imagined stories: it could be a pause after an afternoon of games, a sudden dream while waiting for someone, or a moment of exhaustion at the end of the day. The scene remains open to sensitivity and the viewer’s personal memories.

Sleep is depicted as a space of absolute trust. The unguarded position of the hand, the relaxation of the face, and the proximity of the plush indicate that the girl feels safe in the place where she rests. There is no restlessness or threat, only a deep calm extending to the entire environment. The chair thus becomes a small island of well-being, temporarily separated from worries and the world’s movement.

The bear’s presence allows interpreting the work as a reflection on the permanence of childhood. Although the figure is no longer a little girl, she keeps a symbol of emotional significance beside her. The plush may symbolize a cherished memory, a constant companion, or the bond with a stage of innocence and protection. This emotional dimension adds depth to a seemingly simple scene and transforms it into a meditation on growth, memory, and the passage of time.

It is also especially beautiful the contrast between the energy of the colors and the protagonist’s stillness. The intense reds, bright yellows, and vibrant blues could suggest movement and vitality; yet all converge around a completely serene body. This contradiction creates a very expressive balance: life continues beating in color, while the girl remains suspended in the silence of her dreams.

The work celebrates the beauty of a daily moment that could easily go unnoticed. It does not depict an extraordinary event, but a domestic scene of rest, closeness, and trust. Precisely for this it has great power to awaken universal emotions. The viewer can recognize in it their own childhood memories, the feeling of falling asleep in a familiar place, or the tenderness of watching a loved one as they rest.

In sum, the work depicts a deeply sleeping and cuddled young woman in a large armchair, accompanied by a charming teddy bear. Her folded posture, serene face, the hand abandoned on the edge, and bent legs convey an extraordinary sense of calm and protection. The intense reds of the clothing, the blues of the seat, the pinks of the cushions, and the greens of the background form a warm and expressive harmony that envelops the scene in an intimate atmosphere. Beyond merely showing a moment of rest, the painting evokes innocence, home security, the permanence of childhood memories, and the silent beauty of everyday moments.