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 building illuminated by a soft light. The painting stands out for its excellent technique and the high pictorial quality it conveys.

• Dimensions with frame: 95x113x5 cm.
• Dimensions without frame: 73x92 cm.
• Oil on canvas hand-signed by the artist at 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 included photographs form an integral 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 packaged by an IVEX expert (https://www.instagram.com/ivex.online/), using high-quality materials to guarantee its protection. The shipping price covers both the cost of professional packaging and the transport itself.
Shipping will be carried out by Correos, GLS or NACEX with tracking. International shipping available.

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This painting presents a historical and silent corner where an ancient stone structure, a rectangular washhouse, and a lush grove coexist in perfect harmony. The composition guides the eye from the large trunks in the foreground to a bridge or aqueduct with two arches, located on the left side and partially lit by a soft light. On the right, a spacious stone washhouse occupies a privileged position and adds a daily 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 old walls. No human figures, vehicles or modern elements appear that might disrupt the tranquility of the surroundings. 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 of the foreground. Its large rectangular basin stretches from the lower right toward the center, creating a pronounced diagonal that directs the gaze toward the trees and the architecture in the background. Its geometric shapes contrast with the irregularity of the trunks, branches and vegetation that surround the scene.

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

Inside, a long inclined platform is observed, probably used 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, bluish and greenish tones convey the coldness of the stone and allow imagining its constant contact with water.

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

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

The lower part of the washhouse preserves a bluish zone that may correspond to accumulated water or a surface affected by humidity. The light and dark reflections add depth and suggest a cool, shaded background. This blue strip also establishes a chromatic relationship with the shadows of the ground and trees.

The wall surrounding the washhouse extends toward the center of the scene. Its straight line 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, purple and gray shadows.

Moisture stains and color changes on the walls reveal their age. Some areas appear eroded, others show yellowish and reddish reflections, and several zones are enveloped in a verdant gloom. This diversity gives the surfaces a lively presence, as if each trace held 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 bands of light or wear. The top is crowned by a line of stone that follows a slight diagonal and leads the eye toward the mountainous landscape in the background.

The darkness of this wall adds visual weight to the right side and enhances the left side’s luminosity. Its presence also reinforces the sense of intimacy, turning the washhouse into a protected and sheltered space. It seems to be a place designed to stay cool even during the warmest hours.

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

In the left foreground, one particularly robust trunk appears. Its bark presents grays, purples, 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 growth.

Beside the main trunk, another thinner, leaning tree rises. Both serve as a natural frame for the architecture behind. The upward orientation of their trunks leads the eye toward the canopies, which extend across the upper area and create a vegetal vault over the enclosure.

In the central right area, several slender-trunked trees cluster together. Their barks receive small pinkish, whitish and yellowish reflections, standing out against the deep shadows of the vegetation. This grouping generates an attractive vertical rhythm and separates the washhouse from the background walls.

The canopies form a dense, dark mass of greens, blues and blacks. The leaves overlap to obscure much of the sky, creating a cool shade over the space. In places, light passes through the foliage and produces 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 hardness and demonstrates how the landscape has grown around the old structures.

The ground is covered by a blend of bluish, green, violet and brown shadows. Some areas appear damp, while others receive yellow and pink highlights from filtered light. The chromatic variety allows perceiving roots, fallen leaves, earth and small irregularities.

The terrain visually leads toward the opening of the great arch on the left. Beneath this passage, a green and bright zone contrasts with the first plane’s shadows. The light 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 doorway. The main arch occupies a good portion of the left area and opens with a wide, solid curve. Its rectangular blocks stand out clearly, highlighting the ancient and monumental character of the ensemble.

Each stone shows slight variations of gray, brown, purple and ochre. The orderly succession of blocks allows perceiving the structure’s robustness, while worn areas add naturalness. The arch seems to have withstood a long time, fully integrating into the landscape.

To the right of the main arch lies a smaller opening. Its rounded shape repeats the larger structure’s curve and creates an interesting architectural correspondence. Through it you glimpse illuminated areas, vegetation and bluish tones that suggest 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 and more mysterious space. This combination invites visual traversal of the scene and imagining the hidden paths behind the walls.

Beyond the building, a gentle slope with ocher, green and pink tones can be distinguished. Its brightness contrasts with the lavadero’s shaded environment. The hill seems bathed in sunlight and enlarges the landscape, showing that the enclosure is near a rural open setting.

At the top right appears another mountain rise. Its forms are built with grays, browns, subdued greens and small warm reflections. Although occupying a small area, it places the whole within a broader territory and provides depth to the background.

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

This lighting contrast divides the scene between an open, sunny exterior and an intimate space protected by trees. The arch area represents the exit toward the field, while the washhouse preserves an atmosphere of shade, humidity and seclusion. Both areas complement and enrich each other.

The color palette is dominated by grays, greens, blues and browns. The small touches of yellows, pinks and ochres add warmth and prevent the scene from feeling excessively cold. This combination conveys the freshness of a shaded place, close to water and surrounded by vegetation.

The absence of people turns objects and architecture into carriers of 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 conservation and abandonment, maintaining its beauty intact despite the years.

The water, though barely visible, becomes a suggested presence. The pipe, the basin and the damp stains allow imagining its circulation. This invisible element unites the architecture, the vegetation and the space’s memory, reminding of the importance it had for the community.

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

Overall, this precious painting offers a deeply serene view of an ancient stone washhouse set among tall trees, aged walls and a historic arched construction. The light that passes through the main passage, the bluish shadows of the enclosure, the abundant vegetation and the traces of damp 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, of communal life and of the enduring beauty found in old places.