Antonio Sadurní (1927-2014) - Una tarde de verano

Pictura Subastas presents this magnificent artwork by Antonio Sadurní, depicting an expansive landscape of golden fields dotted with poppies, where two figures work or rest beside a tree under a wide blue sky. The painting stands out for its excellent technique and the high pictorial quality it conveys.

· Frame dimensions: 83x96x5 cm.
· Unframed dimensions: 56x65 cm.
· Oil on canvas hand-signed by the artist at the lower right.
· The piece is in good condition.
· The work is sold with a lovely frame (included in the auction as a gift).

The work comes from an exclusive private collection in Girona.

Important note: the photographs included form an integral part of the lot description.

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

------------------------------------------------------------------

This painting presents a broad rural landscape dominated by golden fields extending to a distant line of trees under a clear blue sky. The scene seems to unfold during summer, when the crops have reached maturity and the land takes on warm hues of wheat, ochre, and brown. In the central-right zone appear two small figures working or resting beside the vegetation, while numerous red and yellow flowers enliven the foreground and lend a delicate vitality to the surroundings.

The field occupies roughly the lower half of the composition and is the main visual element. Its vast extent allows us to perceive the breadth of the landscape and conveys an immediate sense of freedom. The lines across the earth lead the eye from the foreground to the figures and, subsequently, toward the gentle elevations of the horizon.

The surface of the land shows a rich blend of yellows, ochres, browns, muted greens, and small pinkish reflections. The different tones are distributed irregularly, creating the impression of worked soil marked by the agricultural cycle. Some areas seem to correspond to crops already harvested, while others still retain taller vegetation.

In the foreground, numerous diagonal lines suggest furrows, cut stalks, or tracks left during harvest. These marks add rhythm and depth, as well as reveal human intervention on the land. Their diagonal orientation directs the gaze toward the center and prevents the broad surface from feeling static.

Warm light concentrates especially on the field. The golden tones seem to catch the sun’s glow and convey the sense of a bright and peaceful day. The brown and violet areas introduce small shadows that reveal the terrain’s undulations and variety.

Among the crop remnants, numerous red flowers appear sporadically. Their small color spots stand out vividly against the ochers and yellows. These flowers, resembling poppies, bring a poetic note and transform the cultivated field into a space still full of life.

The poppies are particularly concentrated in the lower area and on both sides of the path or central strip. Some appear near the viewer, with broader and more defined shapes, while others shrink to small red accents in the distance. This gradual diminution helps reinforce perspective.

Next to the red flowers are small yellow, white, and violet notes that suggest other wild plants. The color variety softens the earthy expanse of the foreground and provides a natural transition to the denser vegetation at the margins.

On the left side rises a broad mass of plants and shrubs. Its dark greens, bluish and grayish tones contrast with the field’s clarity. Among the leaves appear yellow, red, and pink flowers that enrich this area and form a natural frame for the scene.

The side vegetation seems to follow the edge of a hedge or a small country path. Its arrangement creates a line that moves from the foreground to the middle area. Thus, the left edge guides the eye toward the distant fields and adds order to the composition.

On the right side another band of vegetation appears, somewhat lower in the foreground and more abundant toward the central area. Its dark greens delimit the field and balance the visual mass of the left-side flora. Small red and yellow flowers reappear among the plants, maintaining color continuity.

Near the center-right stands a leaning tree with a rounded crown. Its dark trunk rises diagonally and supports a lush mass of green, violet, and brown leaves. The tilt adds movement and seems to reflect the continuing effect of the wind on the landscape.

This tree is one of the main reference points of the composition. Its shadow and crown offer a possible shelter amid the field’s breadth. It also helps frame the two figures placed beside it, creating a small human scene within the landscape.

The figures are depicted at a very small scale, emphasizing the vastness of the surroundings. One wears a white garment and appears crouched or seated close to the ground. The other stands upright and wears a vivid red shirt that stands out clearly against the natural tones.

The white-clad person seems focused on some task related to the land. Their tilted posture could indicate that they pick up, inspect, or organize some element. The clarity of the clothing contrasts with the green shadows of the vegetation and makes their presence recognizable despite the distance.

The red-clad figure becomes the main human and color accent in the central area. Its vertical position contrasts with the fields’ horizontality and the other person’s gathered posture. The color of their clothing dialogues with the foreground poppies and establishes a visual link between the figure and the landscape.

The relationship between the two people suggests a shared activity. They might be working in the field, resting during the day, or conversing at the field’s edge. The lack of precise details allows for imagining different stories and gives the scene a universal character.

Around the figures, small dark and light objects appear that could be related to agricultural work. Their presence reinforces the sense of a day of labor and adds narrative richness. Yet these elements remain discreetly integrated into the terrain.

Behind the figures stretches a mass of shrubs combining dark greens, purples, blacks, and small yellow reflections. This vegetation separates the foreground from the mid-fields and provides a visual base for the figures. Its rounded shape echoes in the nearby tree crown.

The mid-area of the landscape is organized into broad horizontal bands of different colors. Yellow fields alternate with green, purple, and brown bands, showing the diversity of crops and parcels. This sequence creates a slow rhythm that guides the eye toward the horizon.

Some fields show very bright golden tones, while others appear more subdued or covered with vegetation. This variety suggests different stages of cultivation or different lighting effects on the land. The rural landscape thus feels like a productive space, orderly and at the same time full of nuance.

The boundaries between parcels are marked by hedges, small paths, and tree lines. These divisions are not rigid but follow the land’s curves. The result is a natural and harmonious composition in which agricultural activity seems to adapt to the landscape’s form.

Toward the center, some small white shapes appear scattered among the fields. They could be rural buildings, piles of material, animals, or elements related to agricultural work. Their clarity adds points of interest in the distance and helps deepen the depth.

On the left side of the middle zone is a cluster of tall vegetation with small yellow flowers or reflections. Its vertical forms rise against the dark horizon line. Near it, a few tiny silhouettes can be seen, perhaps suggesting birds, lending a subtle sense of movement.

Further to the right several trees with ocher, brown, and reddish colors rise. Their warm hue contrasts with the dark green of the distant forest. These shapes may signal the end of summer or simply reflect the glow of a golden light on the foliage.

The horizon line is formed by an extensive band of blue-tinted and dark green trees. This boundary clearly separates the fields from the sky and acts as a natural barrier. Its continuity provides stability and emphasizes the landscape’s horizontal breadth.

In some spots, the forest mass breaks to reveal groups of pink and orange trees. These small accents introduce variety and relate the background to the foreground flowers. The repetition of warm colors maintains the unity of the entire composition.

The sky occupies almost half the upper area and forms a large calm surface. Its slate-blue hue spreads evenly, creating an open, bright, and tranquil atmosphere. The vastness of the sky allows the composition to breathe and balances the wealth of forms and colors in the field.

Several small clouds appear scattered across the sky. Some are white and others show delicate pink and violet hues. Their light forms do not signal a storm but add movement and soften the blue’s uniformity.

The cloud in the upper right stands out for its larger size and pink tones. Its presence visually balances the figures and the tree on the same side. Other smaller clouds are distributed toward the center and left, creating a delicate rhythm along the horizon.

Overall, the lighting seems to correspond to a warm afternoon. The field receives golden light and the clouds show soft pink reflections. This possible proximity to sunset adds a nostalgic touch and turns the scene into a contemplation of the day’s end.

The color range is organized by the contrast between the cool blue of the sky and the warm yellows of the earth. The greens of the vegetation act as a transition between the two spaces, while the reds of the poppies and of the figure provide energy. This combination is balanced, luminous, and deeply evocative.

The composition is structured in broad horizontal bands: the cultivated foreground, the mid-field zone, the dark forest line, and the vast sky. These bands provide stability, while furrows, the leaning tree, and the figures introduce diagonals and verticals that animate the whole.

The absence of notable buildings or modern roads intensifies the rural character. The landscape appears to maintain a direct relationship with the land and with natural cycles. The human figures integrate into this environment without dominating it, appearing as part of agricultural activity developed in harmony with the territory.

The work conveys the quiet effort associated with fieldwork, but also the beauty that accompanies that labor. The furrows and harvested land speak of work, while the flowers, the sky, and the trees contribute a poetic dimension. The scene celebrates both the land’s productivity and its capacity to offer beauty.

The two figures can be interpreted as a symbol of human presence within a vast landscape. Their small size emphasizes the territory’s scale and reminds us that agricultural work depends on much larger natural forces. At the same time, their colors make them an essential part of the narrative.

There is also an attractive relationship between permanence and change. The fields vary with the seasons, flowers appear and disappear, and harvests are gathered each year. The line of the forest and the breadth of the sky, by contrast, convey a sense of continuity. This coexistence makes the landscape an image of the time cycle.

Together, this precious painting offers a broad, luminous, and deeply serene view of golden fields in full summer, traversed by furrows and dotted with red poppies and wildflowers. The two small figures beside the tree introduce a delicate human narrative, while the undulating parcels, the distant forest line, and the vast blue sky build an extraordinary sense of depth. The work conveys calm, abundance, and the quiet effort of rural life, turning the landscape into a celebration of the land, the harvest, and the beauty of an afternoon in the countryside.