Jaume Mateu (1954) - El guardián del tiempo

Pictura Subastas presents this magnificent artwork by Jaume Mateu, depicting 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 panel signed by the artist in 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 a notional mockup; there may be differences with the actual article in color, scale, and details.

The painting will be professionally packed by an IVEX expert, using high-quality materials to ensure its protection. Shipping cost covers both the professional packaging 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 dark-bodied mantel clock with a light dial, accompanied by several books, a white vase with branches and flowers, a small seated human figure, and a delicate container with white flowers. The soft light passing through the glass envelopes the objects in an intimate and quiet atmosphere, transforming a simple domestic collection into a deep reflection on the passage of time, memory, reading, and the fragility of life.

The clock is 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 folded posture of the small figure situated on the right.

The base of the clock rests firmly on the shelf. Its lower part presents a stepped form that combines 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 shape. Its dark surfaces receive small greenish and bluish reflections that help perceive volume. The sobriety of its design makes the dial stand out immediately.

The circular dial 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 placed at the center and trace delicate dark lines over the light surface. Its exact position is less important than its meaning: they remind us that time continues to move forward even when objects and the room seem still.

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

Over the clock lie several books laid horizontally. The lower volume has brown and ochre tones, while the upper one combines deep reds, garnets, pinks, and a light edge. Their arrangement suggests an interrupted reading or a selection of works kept nearby the clock.

The books introduce an intellectual and personal dimension. They do not appear as merely decorative objects, but as signs of an invisible human presence. It is possible to imagine they belong to someone who tends to read by the window and has left them there to resume 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 linked to memory and the accumulation of experiences.

On top of the volumes rests a small candelabrum or metallic vessel with curved forms. Its dark base rises to a central cup and two side handles. This object adds elegance and crowns vertically the ensemble formed by the clock and the books.

A white and narrow candle emerges from the center of the candelabrum. Its vertical form rises 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. Together with the books, it introduces a contemplative dimension.

To the left of the clock several books stand upright and tilted. Their covers present browns, garnets, 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 on each other and against the side of the clock. This position conveys naturalness, as if they had been placed spontaneously. Their diagonals bring movement within a predominantly stable composition.

At the far left appears a large white vase with a rounded body. Its wide, curved shape 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 an abundant set of branches, stems, and leaves. Its clear volume stands out against the ochre wall background and provides brightness to the left side. The oval shape contributes 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 set.

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

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

Some stems appear dry or partially bare. This coexistence of green leaves, flowers, and bare branches adds symbolic richness. The bouquet can be read 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. The figure represents a person seated, with an upright body 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, giving the figure a contemplative attitude. Its features are not precisely discernible, but the posture conveys serenity, patience, and introspection. It seems to silently observe the clock or the space extending before it.

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

The black color of the figurine creates a direct dialogue with the clock’s body. Both elements share a deep tone, but their meanings differ: the clock represents objective time, while the figure suggests human and contemplative experience 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 sits a small vase or container with a narrow stem. 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 clear cloud that contrasts with the dark figure and with the warm tones of the wall. Their irregular outlines suggest numerous petals gathered together. This luminosity visually balances the large white vase on the far left.

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

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

This ornamental detail provides a repetitive rhythm at the bottom. The small black shapes contrast with the light edge and suggest a fabric, a tablecloth, or a decorative band. Its presence reinforces the domestic and cared-for character of the interior.

The arrangement of the objects responds to an asymmetrical 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 forms.

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

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

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

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

External light does not enter strongly, but is subdued. It seems like a cloudy morning or a quiet afternoon that gently falls on the objects. This lighting favors soft tones and creates an atmosphere of contemplation.

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

The clear reflection on the dial 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 unify the objects through a delicate continuity.

The color palette is dominated by browns, grays, muted greens, blacks, and whites. The reds of the books and flowers add 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 recalls who might light it, the clock marks the house hours, and the flowers reveal someone’s care. The room seems temporarily 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 work’s core. Everything around it—the books, the flowers, and the candle—can be related to different forms of duration and memory.

The books preserve thoughts and experiences beyond their authors’ lives. The flowers represent a temporary beauty that will eventually fade. The candle alludes to a light that can be lit and extinguished. The sculpture, instead, seems to remain motionless.

The composition can be understood as a reflection on permanence and the ephemeral. Some objects were made to endure, while others change or disappear. The clock keeps these two realms united through the constant measurement of hours.

There is also a deeply domestic dimension. The objects seem gathered for personal taste and retain 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 stopping, observing, and valuing 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 window’s soft light, 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, ephemeral beauty, and the invisible presence of those who inhabit the spaces.