Miquel Torner de Semir (1938) - El océano interior

Pictura Galeria presents this magnificent artwork belonging to Miquel Torner de Semir, which depicts a fantastic underwater world full of expressive fish and intense colors, as a symbol of diversity, imagination, vigilance, and inner emotions. The painting stands out for its excellent technique and the high pictorial quality it conveys.

· Frame dimensions: 73x53x4 cm.
· Artwork dimensions: 64x45 cm.
· Hand-signed pastel by the artist in the left corner of the work, Miquel Torner de Semir.
· The piece is in good conservation condition.
· The work is sold with a precious frame with protective glass (included in the auction as a gift).

The work comes from an exclusive private collection in Girona.

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

The artwork will be professionally packaged by 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 via Correos or GLS with tracking. International shipping is available.

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This painting presents an imaginary marine universe inhabited by several creatures with angular shapes, enormous eyes, and intensely contrasted colors. In the central area, a large reddish fish dominates, covered with violet, pink, blue, and white fragments, while a yellow, stylized creature seems to observe it from above. In the lower area another green fish with a restless gaze appears, surrounded by curved forms suggesting water, rocks, and underwater organisms. The entire scene unfolds on a dark background in which blues, blacks, greens, and violets build a deep, dynamic, and mysterious atmosphere.

The central fish is the largest and most recognizable figure. Its body occupies much of the left half and extends diagonally toward the center. The head faces right, while the tail opens in the opposite direction. This arrangement conveys movement and makes it seem the creature is moving through the currents.

Its body displays a wide variety of colors. Reds, burgundies, pinks, and violets predominate, accompanied by fragments of white, yellow, blue, and orange. The different chromatic zones are distributed like imaginary scales or shifting reflections. The fish seems to absorb all the colors of the underwater environment.

The eye of the central fish stands out for its circular shape and intense expression. It is surrounded by a black outline and contains a small yellow center that seems to shine amid the red tones. Its gaze is directed to the right and conveys attention, surprise, or distrust. The large size of the eye gives the creature personality.

Around the eye appear pink and violet forms that accentuate the head’s structure. A red area extends toward the snout, while small dark bands define the mouth. The fish’s face has an almost human expression. It seems to observe something outside the composition or respond to the presence of the upper creature.

The mouth is narrow and pointed. Its black, gray, and orange contours project to the right. Although closed, its shape suggests tension or alertness. The fish seems to momentarily halt its movement to examine the space ahead.

The upper part of the body is crowned by a series of triangular shapes. These figures resemble spines, fins, or fragments of a crown. Whites, pinks, blues, and violets alternate, creating an ascending rhythm. Their presence adds a defensive and fantastical character.

Some of these spines are long and pointed, while others overlap to form small mountains. The dark outlines reinforce its silhouette against the background. The succession of triangles seems to wave with the water’s movement. The fish thus gains a strong yet vulnerable appearance.

At the back there is a broad tail formed by several sections. Its tones of gray, violet, black, and white create a fan-like structure. The interior lines divide the tail and suggest folds or membranes. The downward tilt introduces a diagonal that visually propels the animal forward.

Next to the tail there is another sharply pointed shape that could correspond to a second fin. Its clear lines stand out against the dark blues of the background. This area increases the silhouette’s complexity. The fish’s body does not seem completely natural, but built from imaginary fragments.

The lower part of the animal contains large pink and white surfaces. Over these appear small yellow, violet, and black accents. These colors contrast with the deep reds of the upper part. The alternation generates volume and makes the body seem to turn within the water.

The central fish can be interpreted as a wounded, transformed, or armored creature. Its chromatic fragments resemble scars, scales, or accumulated memories. The alert expression reinforces this reading. The creature seems to have traversed an intense environment and to bear the marks of that experience.

In the upper right there is a second being with a predominantly yellow tone. Its body is much thinner and it is organized around a large circular eye. A curved line descends and extends to the right, forming a light silhouette. Its appearance is mysterious and almost celestial.

The eye of this creature is made up of several concentric circles. Yellow, white, gray, black, and green successively surround a central point. This structure recalls a target, an enlarged pupil, or a small whirl. The gaze seems directed toward the reddish fish below.

Above the eye rises a red form with tips that resembles a crown or a crest. This element adds authority and transforms the creature into a dominant presence. The intense reds contrast with the yellow of the head. It may appear as a sea king, a seabird, or a dream-born being.

A large yellow line curves above the creature and ends in a pointed shape to the right. It can be read as a fin, a horn, a tail, or a protective structure. Its arc frames the top. This luminous line stands out intensely over the black background.

At the very top there appears a small vertical and rounded shape connected to the large arc. Alongside it emerges a horizontal extension ending in a circle. These shapes may recall antennae, orientation instruments, or limbs. The creature seems equipped to perceive everything around it.

A very fine yellow line descends from the face and forms a curve resembling a smile or a filament. This extension softens the body’s geometry. Its rightward direction introduces a sense of movement. The creature seems to float above the main fish rather than swim in a conventional way.

Between the two animals there appears a large rounded blue shape. It could be a rock, a bubble, a fin, or part of a third creature’s body. Its dark blue tone adds depth and visually separates the upper yellows from the lower reds. This shape functions as a calm point within the intense composition.

In the lower right there is a third green fish. Its head occupies a significant area and is slightly oriented upward. Large round eyes sit very close together, creating a curious and surprised expression. The animal seems to watch the interaction unfolding above it.

The eyes of this fish are surrounded by whites, grays, yellows, and blacks. One is fully visible, while the other is partially cut off by the right edge. This interruption suggests that the body continues outside the composition. The frontal gaze creates a direct connection with the viewer.

The snout is rounded and formed by greens, grays, violets, and small pink accents. Near the center appears an orange spot that stands out like a luminous nose or scale. The mouth seems open and contains violet and dark circles. This expression adds a humorous yet unsettling character.

The lower body extends to the left with a large green and yellow curve. On its surface appear red, blue, and violet areas suggesting scales or reflections. The tail or fin disappears near the lower edge. The animal seems to emerge from a deeper part of the seabed.

In the lower-left corner another large red shape with a circular contour is distinguishable. Its interior contains pinks and burgundies, while the blue edge separates it from the surroundings. It could correspond to a partially hidden creature, a rock, a plant, or an underwater organism. This ambiguity increases the mystery.

Along the left border appear large green and yellow surfaces that seem to wrap around the central fish. Some form wide curves, while others project with vertical lines. They may recall seaweed, currents, or hidden animal bodies. The marine space seems filled with partly visible presences.

The background is dominated by deep blacks and blues. On this darkness are distributed violet, green, turquoise, and red spots. These shapes do not create a recognizable underwater landscape, but suggest rocks, plants, shadows, and movement of the water. Depth is built up by the layering of colors.

In the upper left corner there appears a small yellow figure resembling coral, a jellyfish, or a sea plant. Its shape opens like a fan and stands out against the black background. Although a small detail, it introduces luminosity. It can also be interpreted as a signal or a distant creature.

Near the top extends a horizontal blue line that crosses the darkness. This stripe could represent a current, a depth boundary, or a underwater glint of light. Its direction contrasts with the fish diagonals. The element quietly organizes the space.

On the right side there is a zone of intense red forming an angular silhouette. Within it a small green triangular spot is distinguished. This combination may recall another hidden creature among the shadows or a large underwater formation. Its presence balances the weight of the central fish.

The colors are distributed vibrantly and generate strong contrasts. The yellows seem to emit light; the reds express energy and tension; the greens evoke life and transformation; the blues convey depth; and the violets introduce mystery. Black unites all these colors and intensifies their intensity.

The vertical composition favors the accumulation of creatures at different levels. The yellow figure occupies the upper zone, the reddish fish dominates the center, and the green appears at the bottom. This organization may recall a submarine hierarchy. Each animal seems to inhabit a different depth.

The gazes constitute one of the main ties between the creatures. The yellow being watches from above, the central fish looks to the right, and the green fish directs its eyes forward. These directions create a network of attention and tension. It seems all perceive something different within the same space.

The excessively large eyes transform the fish into characters. They no longer resemble simple animals, but beings endowed with thought and emotions. They express surprise, caution, curiosity, and vigilance. This humanization allows imagining a hidden story among them.

The central fish could represent vulnerability and resilience. Despite its fragmented body and numerous spines, it maintains a firm gaze. It seems to advance within a world filled with threats and strange presences. Its defensive appearance suggests a need to protect itself.

The yellow creature may symbolize vigilance, authority, or consciousness. Its large eye dominates the upper part and seems to observe everything. The crown-like form reinforces this interpretation. It could be a guardian of the ocean or a presence that controls the represented universe.

The green fish, for its part, introduces surprise and a certain innocence. Its frontal expression seems to ask what is happening. Its color relates it to life, growth, and adaptation. Located in the lower part, it may represent what emerges from the depths.

The scene can also be read as a representation of the mind. Each creature would embody a thought, a fear, a memory, or a different impulse. The eyes would be symbols of consciousness and vigilance, while the colors would show emotional intensity. The dark background would correspond to an interior territory difficult to understand.

Another possible reading understands the painting as a celebration of diversity. No fish has a conventional shape, nor do they share exactly the same colors. Each creature is unique, but all live within the same space. Difference becomes a source of energy and richness.

The abundance of forms prevents the gaze from staying still. The curved outlines lead toward the eyes, the spines create upward movements, and color patches jump from one creature to another. Each area offers a new detail. The scene seems in continual transformation.

Despite its chaotic appearance, the composition maintains balance. The large reddish fish offsets the lower green figure, while the upper yellow provides luminosity. The dark masses surround the characters and prevent the colors from dispersing. The entire universe is contained within an intense structure.

Overall, this painting represents an imaginary underwater world inhabited by fish and fantastical creatures with enormous eyes, fragmented shapes, and intense colors. The large reddish fish symbolizes resilience and vulnerability; the yellow being, vigilance and authority; and the green figure, curiosity and transformation. The reds, greens, yellows, blues, and violets turn the dark background into a space full of energy, mystery, and movement. The work can be understood as a celebration of diversity and imagination, but also as a representation of the inner world, where thoughts, fears, and emotions coexist in perpetual agitation.