Joan Vila Arimany (1944) - El antiguo lavadero

Pictura Subastas presents this magnificent artwork belonging to Vila Arimany, depicting an ancient stone washhouse surrounded by trees and vegetation, located beside a historic arched structure illuminated by a soft light. The painting stands out for its excellent technique and the high pictorial quality it conveys.

· Frame dimensions: 95x113x5 cm.
· Unframed dimensions: 73x92 cm.
· Oil on canvas hand-signed by the artist in the bottom right, Vila Arimany.
· The piece is in good conservation condition.
· The work is sold with a precious frame (included in the auction as a gift).

The work comes from an exclusive private collection in Girona.

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

The painting will be professionally packed by an IVEX expert (https://www.instagram.com/ivex.online/), using high-quality materials to ensure protection. The shipping price covers both the cost of professional packaging and the transportation itself.
Shipping will be carried out by Correos, GLS or NACEX with tracking. International shipping is available.

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This painting presents a historic and silent corner where an ancient stone structure, a rectangular washhouse, and a lush grove coexist in complete harmony. The composition guides the gaze from the large trunks in the foreground to a bridge or aqueduct with two arches, located on the left side and partially illuminated by a soft light. On the right side, a large stone washhouse occupies a privileged position and adds a everyday dimension to the landscape, evoking the use this place may have had for generations.

The space seems set apart from the urban core, protected by tall trees and ancient walls. No human figures, vehicles or modern elements appear that would disrupt the tranquility of the environment. This absence reinforces the sense of being before a place frozen in time, preserved as a testimony to a past life linked to water, domestic work and community coexistence.

The washhouse constitutes the main element in the foreground. Its large rectangular basin extends from the lower right toward the center, creating a pronounced diagonal that directs the eye toward the trees and the architecture in the background. Its geometric shapes contrast with the irregularity of the trunks, branches and vegetation surrounding the scene.

The structure is bounded by thick stone walls and aged cement. The upper edges appear worn and show a varied range of grays, browns, violets, whites and small ochre reflections. These tonal changes suggest the ongoing action of water, humidity and the passing of years on the surfaces.

Inside, a long inclined platform is visible that probably served as a washing surface. Its shape adapts to the rectangular contour of the basin and is traversed by numerous light and dark stripes. The gray, blueish and greenish tones convey the stone's coolness and allow imagining its constant contact with water.

Along the inner wall, a succession of small rectangular openings appears. These gaps create a regular rhythm that animates the structure and emphasizes its depth. Their darkness contrasts with the illuminated surfaces, providing variety and reinforcing the space’s functional character.

At one end a small conduit or pipe protrudes from the wall. Its presence confirms the importance of water within the ensemble and allows imagining the continuous sound of a light flow filling the basin. Although the scene remains visually silent, this detail awakens a sonic sensation linked to the murmur of water.

The bottom of the washhouse preserves a bluish zone that may correspond to accumulated water or a surface affected by humidity. The bright and dark reflections add depth and suggest a cool background protected from direct light. This blue strip also establishes a color relationship with the shadows of the ground and trees.

The wall surrounding the washhouse extends toward the center of the scene. Its straight contour forms a boundary between the built space and the green area behind. The top is bathed in warm light that highlights its edges, while the vertical face remains covered by brown, violet and grayish shadows.

Streaks of moisture and color changes on the walls reveal their age. Some areas seem eroded, others show yellowish and reddish reflections, and several zones are shrouded in greenish shadows. This diversity lends the surfaces a living presence, as if each mark preserves part of the place’s history.

At the far right rises a dark wall that partially closes the enclosure. Its surface is dominated by deep grays, browns and blacks, interrupted by light or wear stripes. The top is crowned by a line of stone following a gentle diagonal and guiding the gaze toward the mountain landscape in the background.

The darkness of this wall adds visual weight to the right side and heightens the brightness of the left. Its presence also reinforces the sense of intimacy, turning the washhouse into a protected and intimate space. It seems designed to stay cool even during the hottest hours.

The trees constitute the great natural element of the composition. Several trunks rise vertically from the ground and span almost the full height of the painting. Their irregular shapes and marked bark contrast with the geometry of the walls, bringing movement and variety to the scene.

In the left foreground, one especially robust trunk appears. Its bark shows grays, violets, browns and bluish reflections, while a cut branch reveals a lighter oval surface. This detail reinforces the tree’s proximity and allows appreciating its age and development.

Next to the main trunk another thinner, leaning tree rises. Both function as a natural frame for the architecture behind. The upward direction of their trunks leads the eye to the canopies, which extend across the top area and create a vegetal vault over the enclosure.

In the central-right area several trees with slender trunks cluster together. Their bark receives small pinkish, whitish and yellowish reflections, standing out against the deep shadows of the vegetation. This grouping creates an attractive vertical rhythm and separates the washhouse from the back walls.

The canopies form a dense, dark mass of greens, blues and blacks. Leaves overlap to almost hide the sky, creating a cool shade over the space. In places, light filters through the foliage and creates small illuminated zones that enliven the ground, walls and trunks.

Lower vegetation appears especially abundant around the base of the trees. Plants, shrubs and grasses occupy the free spaces between the structures, mixing light greens, blues, yellows and small reddish accents. This natural presence softens the stone’s harshness and shows how the landscape has come to surround the ancient structures.

The ground is covered by a mix of bluish, green, violet and brown shadows. Some areas seem damp, while others receive yellow and pink flashes from the filtered light. The chromatic diversity lets one perceive roots, fallen leaves, earth and small unevenness.

The terrain visually leads toward the opening of the large arch on the left. Under this passage, a green and luminous zone contrasts with the first plane’s shadows. The clarity acts as an invitation to pass through the architecture and discover the landscape that continues beyond.

The stone construction in the background features a large arch and another smaller passage. The main arch occupies much of the left area and opens with a broad and solid curve. Its rectangular blocks are clearly distinguished, highlighting the ancient and monumental character of the ensemble.

Each stone shows slight variations of gray, brown, violet and ochre. The ordered succession of blocks conveys the robustness of the structure, while some worn areas add naturalness. The arch seems to have withstood the test of time, fully integrated into the landscape.

To the right of the main arch lies a smaller opening. Its rounded form repeats the curve of the larger structure and creates an interesting architectural correspondence. Through it one glimpses illuminated areas, vegetation and blueish tones suggesting the continuation of the path.

The double opening creates different depth levels. The large arch frames a field area and a small path, while the smaller arch leads to a darker, more mysterious space. This combination invites a visual journey through the scene and to imagine the paths hidden behind the walls.

Beyond the structure, a soft slope in ocher, greens and pinkish tones emerges. Its luminosity contrasts with the shaded atmosphere of the washhouse. The hill seems bathed in sunlight and expands the landscape, showing that the enclosure is near open rural surroundings.

In the upper-right area another mountain elevation appears. Its shapes are built with grays, browns, subdued greens and small warm reflections. Although occupying a small area, it places the whole scene within a wider territory and adds depth to the background.

Light plays an essential role. It penetrates mainly from the left, illuminating the arch’s opening and reaching parts of the ground, trunks and walls. The washhouse remains in a cool half-light, but its edges receive enough highlights to define its structure clearly.

This lighting contrast divides the scene between an open, sunny exterior and an intimate, tree-protected enclosure. The arch area represents the exit toward the countryside, while the washhouse preserves an atmosphere of shade, humidity and containment. Both areas complement and enrich each other.

The color range is dominated by grays, greens, blues and browns. Small touches of yellow, pink and ochre add warmth and prevent the scene from feeling overly cold. This combination conveys the freshness of a shaded place near water and surrounded by vegetation.

The absence of people makes the objects and the architecture bear memory. The washhouse recalls a communal activity that must have filled the place with voices, movements and sounds. Now it remains empty, preserving only the traces of its function and the silent presence of nature.

The scene can be interpreted as a reflection on the passage of time. The stone remains, but shows wear; the trees grow around the walls; and the vegetation occupies every available space. The place seems to lie between preservation and abandonment, keeping its beauty intact despite the years.

Water, though barely visible, becomes a suggested presence. The pipe, the basin and the moisture stains allow imagining its circulation. This invisible element unites the architecture, vegetation and memory of the space, recalling the importance it once had for the community.

The large arch also holds symbolic value. Its opening connects shadow with light, the closed enclosure with the countryside, and the past with the present landscape. Traversing it mentally means leaving behind the washhouse’s silence and moving toward a bright, open environment.

Overall, this precious painting offers a deeply serene view of an ancient stone washhouse set among tall trees, weathered walls and a historic arched construction. The light that passes through the main opening, the bluish shadows of the enclosure, the abundant vegetation and the damp traces create a fresh, intimate and memory-filled atmosphere. The harmonious coexistence between architecture and nature transforms this silent corner into a poetic evocation of the passage of time, community life, and the lasting beauty of old places.