Jaume Mateu (1954) - El guardián del tiempo

Pictura Subastas presents this magnificent artwork belonging to Jaume Mateu, which depicts an antique clock surrounded by books, flowers, a candle, and a small seated figure, composing an intimate reflection on the passage of time and memory. The painting stands out for its excellent technique and the high pictorial quality it conveys.

· Dimensions of the work: 40.5 x 61.5 x 1 cm.
· Oil on board hand-signed by the artist at the lower left.
· The piece is in good condition.

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 orientative mockup; there may be differences respecto to the actual article in color, scale and details.

The painting will be professionally packed by an IVEX expert, using high-quality materials to guarantee its protection. The shipping price covers both the cost of professional packing 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 refined still life arranged on a shelf or table in front of a large window. In the center rises a desktop clock with a dark body and a light face, accompanied by several books, a white vase with branches and flowers, a small seated human figure, and a delicate container with white flowers. The subdued light that passes through the glass envelops the objects in an intimate and silent atmosphere, transforming a simple domestic collection into a profound reflection on the passage of time, memory, reading, and the fragility of life.

The clock constitutes the true axis of the composition. Its rectangular structure occupies a central position and stands out for the intensity of its black, dark green, and gray tones. Its solid presence contrasts with the delicacy of the flowers and with the gathered posture of the small figure on the right.

The base of the clock rests firmly on the shelf. Its bottom part features a stepped shape that blends blacks, browns, and gray reflections. This structure provides stability and visually separates the main body from the light surface on which it rests.

The body of the clock rises with a rectangular and slightly narrow form. Its dark surfaces receive small greenish and bluish reflections that help perceive volume. The sobriety of its design makes the face stand out immediately.

The circular face appears dominated by cream, yellow, and ochre tones. The dark numbers are distributed around the edge and create a regular rhythm. Although some details are softly integrated into the atmosphere, the object is clearly recognizable as a symbol of time.

The hands are centered and trace delicate dark lines across the light surface. Their exact position is less important than their meaning: they remind us that time keeps moving even when objects and the room seem still.

The luminous circle of the face contrasts with the rectangular body that contains it. This opposition between curve and geometry provides balance. The face almost functions as a small focal point of light within a composition dominated by subdued tones.

Several books lie horizontally on top of the clock. The lower volume shows brown and ochre tones, while the upper combines deep reds, burgundies, pinks, and a light edge. Their arrangement suggests an interrupted reading or a selection of works kept near the clock.

The books introduce an intellectual and personal dimension. They are not merely decorative objects but signals of an invisible human presence. It is possible to imagine they belong to someone who often reads by the window and has left them there to pick up later.

The spines and covers show slight irregularities and color changes. These variations suggest use and the passage of time on their surfaces. The books, like the clock, are tied to memory and the accumulation of experiences.

Above the volumes rests a small candelabrum or curved metal container. Its dark base rises toward a central cup and two side handles. This object adds elegance and crowns vertically the group formed by the clock and the books.

A white and slender candle rises from the center of the candelabrum. Its vertical form climbs toward the top of the window and is cut against the light background. It does not appear to be lit, which reinforces the stillness of the moment and the sense of natural light coming from outside.

The candle can be interpreted as a symbol of light, knowledge, and duration. Its fragility contrasts with the clock’s solidity, while its verticality establishes a connection between the shelf and the upper area. Along with the books, it introduces a contemplative dimension.

To the left of the clock lean several books placed vertically and at an angle. Their covers display browns, burgundies, dark greens, and reddish tones. The irregular arrangement avoids rigidity and creates a transition between the clock and the vase.

The tilted books seem to lean against each other and against the side of the clock. This position conveys naturalness, as if they had been placed spontaneously. Their diagonals add movement within a predominantly stable composition.

At the far left appears a large white vase with a rounded body. Its broad, curved form contrasts with the straight lines of the books and the clock. The surface combines whites, grays, and delicate bluish reflections.

The vase narrows toward the top and supports a plentiful arrangement of branches, stems, and leaves. Its light volume stands out against the ochre wall background and provides brightness to the left side. The oval shape adds softness and balance.

The branches rise in different directions, creating a dynamic and almost sculptural structure. Some bend toward the clock, while others extend toward the far left. This distribution guides the eye and frames the central group.

The leaves display dark greens, grayish tones, and small bluish reflections. Their elongated shapes overlap and form a slightly wild-looking mass of vegetation. It is not a perfectly ordered bouquet, but a natural and spontaneous composition.

Among the leaves appear small flowers and buds in reddish, pink, and violet colors. These warm accents discreetly stand out against the subdued greens. The delicacy of the flowers introduces a note of life within the quiet interior.

Some stems appear dry or partially bare. This coexistence of green leaves, flowers, and bare branches adds symbolic richness. The bouquet can be interpreted as an image of natural cycles, where growth, fullness, and decay appear simultaneously.

On the right side of the clock stands a small black sculpture of a seated person, with body upright and hands resting on the legs or gathered in the lap. Its dark silhouette is clearly cut against the window.

The head appears slightly tilted, which gives the figure a contemplative attitude. Its features are not precisely distinguished, but the posture conveys serenity, patience, and recollection. It seems to silently gaze at the clock or the space extending before it.

The figure rests on a rounded dark base. Below there is another pedestal of rectangular or circular shape that elevates the group. This succession of supports gives the small sculpture a solid and ceremonial presence.

The black color of the figurine establishes a direct dialogue with the clock’s body. Both elements share a deep tone, but their meanings are different: the clock represents objective time, while the figure suggests human experience and contemplation of that time.

The proximity between the clock and the sculpture creates a small symbolic narrative. The figure seems to wait, observe, or reflect on the passage of hours. This relationship turns the still life into a scene of great psychological depth.

To the right of the sculpture is a small vase or narrow-stemmed container. Its vertical shape combines browns, grays, and blacks. On it rests a mass of white flowers with a soft, rounded appearance.

The flowers form a pale cloud that contrasts with the dark figure and with the warm tones of the wall. Their irregular outlines suggest many petals clustered together. This luminosity visually balances the large white vase on the far left.

The small container appears especially delicate next to the clock’s volume. Its narrowness and the fragility of the flowers introduce a note of lightness. It also helps to close the composition on the right without overloading it.

The shelf on which the objects rest presents a gray-green tone. Its horizontal surface acts as a common base, uniting all the elements. The front edge is decorated with a succession of dark shapes resembling tassels or small hanging motifs.

This ornamental detail adds a repetitive rhythm at the bottom. The small black shapes contrast with the lightness of the edge and suggest a fabric, a cloth, or a decorative band. Its presence reinforces the domestic and careful nature of the interior.

The arrangement of objects responds to an asymmetric balance. The large vase and the branches occupy the left; the clock dominates the center; and the sculpture with the white flowers completes the right. Each group has its own identity, but all relate through colors and shapes.

The curves of the vase, the face, and the flowers contrast with the rectangles of the clock, the books, and the window. This coexistence of rounded and geometric forms provides variety. No element seems placed at random.

The window virtually fills the background and is divided by broad vertical frames. The grays, whites, purples, and pinks of the glass suggest light filtered by curtains, fog, or exterior reflections. The atmosphere through the window is soft and enveloping.

The dark lines of the frame delineate several rectangular zones. This structure organizes the background and repeats the geometry of the clock and the books. The window adds depth, though what exists beyond remains undetermined.

Some pink and violet stains are perceived behind the glass. They could correspond to buildings, curtains, reflections, or exterior elements. Its ambiguity lends mystery and avoids distracting attention from the foreground objects.

Exterior light does not come in intensely, but rather subdued. It seems like a dull morning or a quiet afternoon that spreads gently over the objects. This lighting favors soft tones and creates an atmosphere of recollection.

The wall on either side of the window features browns, ochres, and pinkish hues. These warm colors contrast with the greens and blacks of the central group. The wall acts as a frame that encloses and protects the domestic scene.

The clear reflection on the face allows the clock to stand out without breaking the overall softness. The books, the candle, and the vase also receive small glints. The light seems to unite the objects through a delicate continuity.

The chromatic range is dominated by browns, grays, muted greens, blacks, and whites. The reds of the books and flowers bring warmth, while the violets in the background introduce a melancholic note. The result is sober, harmonious, and deeply intimate.

The absence of real people intensifies the sense of an invisible presence. The books suggest the reader, the candle reminds who might light it, the clock marks the house hours, and the flowers reveal someone’s care. The room seems momentarily empty, yet full of memory.

The small sculpture functions as a symbolic substitute for that human presence. Its seated posture introduces stillness and contemplation. It seems to guard the objects and accompany the quiet passage of the hours.

The clock inevitably represents the passage of time. Its central position makes this idea the core of the work. Everything surrounding it —the books, the flowers, and the candle— can relate to different forms of duration and memory.

Books preserve thoughts and experiences beyond the authors’ lives. The flowers represent a temporal beauty that will eventually fade. The candle alludes to a light that can be kindled and extinguished. The sculpture, by contrast, seems to remain motionless.

The composition can be understood as a reflection on permanence and transience. Some objects have been created to endure, while others change or disappear. The clock keeps both realms united through the constant measurement of the hours.

There is also a deeply domestic dimension. The objects seem to have been gathered for personal taste and hold an emotional value. They are not shown as isolated pieces but as part of an intimate story built within the home.

The window introduces the possibility of an external world, but the gaze remains focused on the interior. This choice reinforces the introspective character. The scene invites us to pause, observe, and value the small objects that accompany daily life.

Overall, this precious painting offers an intimate and deeply evocative still life, centered on an antique mantel clock accompanied by books, a candle, a large vase with branches and flowers, a seated figure, and a small white bouquet. The soft light of the window, the sobriety of the colors, and the balanced arrangement of the objects build a silent, cultured, and melancholic atmosphere. The work transforms a domestic corner into a delicate reflection on the passage of time, memory, reading, the ephemeral beauty, and the invisible presence of those who inhabit the spaces.