Miquel Torner de Semir (1938) - Retrato

Pictura Galeria presents this magnificent work of art belonging to Miquel Torner de Semir, which depicts a theatrical-looking figure seated beside a goblet and a fruit, absorbed in thought under an enveloping garden of flowers. The painting stands out for its excellent technique and the high pictorial quality it conveys.

· Dimensions of the work: 92.5x73x2 cm.
· Oil on canvas hand-signed by the artist in the lower right corner, Miquel Torner de Semir.
· The piece is in good conservation condition.

The work comes from an exclusive private collection in Girona.

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

The work will be professionally packed by IVEX (https://www.instagram.com/ivex.online/), 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 is available.

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This painting presents a solitary figure of a youthful appearance, seated before a small table and immersed in a state of deep reflection. The body occupies most of the composition, while the slightly inclined face becomes the emotional center of the scene. The person rests the head on one hand and directs the gaze toward an undefined point, as if fully absorbed by what happens around them. The image conveys silence, melancholy and a sense of inner pause.

The face appears in partial profile and stands out for its clarity against the dark background. The skin tones are pale, bluish and pinkish, with small warm touches on the cheeks and around the lips. The eye, large and expressive, remains open and attentive, though it seems to look more inward than toward the external world. The small reddish mouth reinforces the delicacy of the features, while the long nose and the defined contour of the face impart an elegant and somewhat theatrical presence.

The dark hair is carefully gathered and adapts to the rounded shape of the head. Several curved lines traverse its surface, ordering the hairstyle and creating a sense of volume. This sobriety contrasts with the richness of the clothing and with the large flowers placed at the top. The figure seems to belong to a universe situated between reality and fantasy, like a character in a staged performance who, during a break, stops acting and reveals an intimate emotion.

The pose is particularly meaningful. One arm is raised to support the head, with the hand resting on the cheek and temple. The other arm appears to be held close to the body, reinforcing the sense of isolation. This position, traditionally associated with waiting, sadness or contemplation, allows for imagining numerous thoughts behind the silent expression. The figure could be remembering an absence, awaiting news, or simply letting itself be carried by a moment of fatigue and contemplation.

The garment covering the torso is formed by a succession of large blue and black squares that create an intense visual structure. These alternating blocks recall the outfit of a harlequin and lend a theatrical character to the figure. The blues range from dark, deep tones to brighter and more purplish hues, establishing a strong contrast with the paleness of the face and with the white areas of the neck and sleeves.

Around the neck opens a large white collar, broad and pleated, framing the face as if it were a flower. Its different sections extend to the shoulders and create a luminous transition between the head and the dark outfit. On the wrists appear similar, white and voluminous adornments that surround the arms and highlight the delicacy of the hands. These elements add elegance and solemnity while accentuating the scene’s theatricality.

The combination of the geometric outfit with the large light collar gives rise to an interesting opposition between rigidity and softness. The squares of the dress are firm, repetitive and structured, while the white folds open with greater freedom. This duality may be understood as a reflection of the figure’s own emotional state: an outwardly striking and orderly appearance that hides a fragile, silent, and vulnerable inner world.

On the right-hand side is a light-colored round table. Upon it rests a delicate goblet, depicted with gray, white and blue tones. The goblet seems to contain a small amount of dark liquid and becomes one of the scene’s most defined objects. Its presence suggests that the figure is in a pause, perhaps after a celebration, a dinner or a performance, though the mood is far from festive.

Beside the goblet appears a round fruit of intense red color, perhaps an apple. Its warm tone immediately draws attention and contrasts with the light surface of the table. This small fruit can be interpreted as a symbol of desire, knowledge, temptation, or simply as a common element that accompanies the figure’s stillness. Its simple, compact form visually balances the elongated silhouette of the goblet.

In the lower left corner another light object stands out, resembling a crumpled napkin, a cloth or a piece left on the seat. Its informal arrangement brings naturalness and suggests that the scene was captured at a moment of rest. The figure seems to have temporarily stepped away from some activity, putting aside the objects that accompanied them to give themselves to their thoughts.

The upper part of the painting is traversed by large vegetal forms that envelop the scene. Two orange-reddish flowers stand out strongly among green, turquoise and blue-tinged leaves. Their opened corollas create points of light and color that contrast with the melancholic expression of the character. These flowers seem to float above the head like thoughts, memories or symbolic presences, adding a poetic dimension to the composition.

The flower on the left has red and pink tones, while the one on the right opens in brighter orange hues. Both are surrounded by curved and elongated leaves that intertwine with the background. The vegetation does not form a recognizable garden, but a kind of ornamental frame that protects and encloses the figure. This fantastical setting reinforces the impression of an interior scene, built from emotions rather than a specific place.

The background combines browns, grays, dark greens, violets and bluish areas. These colors shape broad, undefined spaces that do not clearly reveal where the character is. The absence of a clearly identifiable room or landscape concentrates all attention on the figure and its mood. The setting seems to transform according to the emotion of the viewer, feeling like a silent room, a stage, or an imaginary territory.

The composition establishes a contrast between the festive appearance of the attire and the introspective attitude of the figure. The checkered suit, the large white collar, the intense flowers and the red fruit could be part of a joyful scene; however, the posture and the gaze convey contemplation and a certain sadness. This contradiction adds depth to the painting and highlights the difference between outward appearance and inner feeling.

The figure appears to be living a suspended moment in time. There is no obvious action or closed narrative, but the scene suggests that something has happened or is about to happen. The goblet remains on the table, the fruit is intact, and the figure remains still, as if waiting to muster the courage to make a decision. The silence surrounding the image allows the viewer to imagine their own story.

Despite the melancholy, the work does not convey only sadness. There is also a sense of serenity, sensitivity and contemplative beauty. The figure’s expression does not seem desperate, but deeply human. Its stillness invites one to pause and to recognize those moments when a person withdraws from the outside world to listen to their own thoughts, remember the past, or understand their emotions.

Overall, this precious painting represents a figure of theatrical and delicate appearance, seated beside a table while silently reflecting under an environment full of flowers and enveloping forms. The blue and black dress, the large white collar, the goblet and the red fruit build a mysterious scene in which elegance, melancholy and fantasy coexist. The work conveys the intimacy of a deep thought and suggests the contrast between an outward, striking appearance and a vulnerable, solitary, emotion-filled inner world.