Joan Torres de Torres (1953) - Venecia

Pictura Subastas presents this magnificent artwork belonging to Torres de Torres, which depicts a tranquil urban canal surrounded by old buildings and lush vegetation, whose shapes are reflected on dark, still waters. The painting stands out for its excellent technique and the high pictorial quality it conveys.

• Unframed dimensions: 61x50x2 cm.
• Oil on canvas signed by the artist on the back of the work.
• 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 indicative mockup; there may be differences with the actual item 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 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 is available.

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This painting presents a suggestive urban scene organized around a canal that winds between ancient buildings until it vanishes into the distance. The water occupies the center and most of the composition, becoming the element that unites facades, vegetation, sky and shadows through an extensive surface of reflections. The scene conveys a sense of quiet and contemplation, as if the city had paused for a few moments and only the slow movement of the water remained.

Perspective leads the eye from the bottom up to the canal narrowing in the background. The two margins advance diagonally and come closer progressively, creating an intense sense of depth. This visual journey invites the viewer to follow the course of the water and to imagine which streets, bridges or urban corners might lie beyond the buildings that partly close the view.

On the left side there is a narrow elevated promenade that traces the canal. Its light surface contrasts with the dark water and seems to be defined by a small wall. The path curves gently as it advances toward the background, disappearing behind a dense mass of vegetation. This combination of architecture and nature softens the harshness of the constructions and brings freshness to the urban setting.

The vegetation beside the promenade forms a dense cluster of greens, grays and bluish tones. Its irregular canopies project toward the canal and seem to partially obscure the buildings behind. The lighter areas suggest leaves touched by light, while the deeper greens create shaded spaces. This green strip provides a beautiful contrast with the warm façades rising on the opposite margin.

On the right side there is a succession of old buildings whose walls descend directly to the water. The façades show an attractive range of ochres, earth tones, pinks, browns and grays, accompanied by lighter areas that seem worn by time. Dark windows are distributed at different heights and interrupt the continuity of the walls, suggesting silent interior spaces rich with history.

Some buildings show upper floors in warm tones, with rows of narrow windows repeated in an orderly fashion. Other façades are simpler and have small isolated openings near the water’s surface. The variety of heights, colors and proportions adds richness to the architectural whole and conveys the impression of a city that has grown slowly, accumulating buildings from different eras.

In the distance, the constructions seem to cluster and close around the canal. Their contours become progressively less defined and take on softer tones, creating an enveloping atmosphere. Small green notes appear on balconies or windows, hinting at the presence of plants and domestic life. These details add humanity to the scene, even though no figures are observed along the banks.

The water has a great chromatic depth and blends dark greens, bluish grays, browns, blacks and flashes of white. Fragmented reflections of buildings and trees overlay its surface. The vertical reflections of the warm façades blend with the deep shadows of the canal, while the light areas seem to capture the luminosity of the sky. This superimposition makes the water a changing, mysterious mirror.

At the bottom, the reflections become broader and more diffuse. A wide bluish-white stretch occupies the center, as if the sky had broken through the shadows. Around it appear green and dark forms related to nearby trees and buildings. The lack of rigid contours gives the water a soft, silent, slightly unreal appearance, enhancing the evocative character of the work.

The absence of boats and people reinforces the sense of stillness. The canal seems to belong to an early morning hour or to a moment after rain, when the streets are empty and the dampness intensifies the colors. The viewer can imagine the faint sound of water against the walls, some distant echo from the houses, and the cool air circulating among the façades.

The work establishes an interesting dialogue between the solidity of architecture and the changing nature of the reflections. The buildings represent permanence, memory and the passage of time, while the water continually transforms its shapes and colors. This opposition grants emotional depth to the scene and allows contemplation not only as an urban view but also as an image related to memory, stillness and the beauty of everyday life.

The overall atmosphere has an intimate and melancholic character. Muted colors, soft lights and deep shadows create a sense of mystery without being unsettling. The canal functions as a quiet path that runs through the city and preserves fragments of everything that surrounds it on its surface. Every window, every wall and every tree seems to duplicate itself in the water and acquire a more fragile and poetic existence.

Overall, this painting offers a serene and deeply evocative view of an urban canal flanked by ancient buildings and abundant vegetation, whose shapes are reflected on dark, calm waters. The strong perspective, the richness of the reflections and the silent atmosphere turn the scene into an image full of depth, nostalgia and mystery, capable of conveying the intimate beauty of a city observed from the water.