Francesc Carbonell Massabé (1928) - Port of Tarragona

Technical sheet

Author: Francesc Carbonell Massabé (Barcelona, 1928)
Chronology: Second half of the 20th century
Oil on panel
Measurements: 34 × 34 cm (without frame) — 45 × 45 cm (with frame)
Support: Upholstered board
Mediterranean Post-Impressionism – Catalan School of Landscape
Provenance: Private collection
Condition: Excellent
Magnificent contemporary frame in old gold tone, with a wide molding, warm and elegant, highlighting the Mediterranean light and providing a finish with high decorative impact.

2. Compositional and iconographic description

The work, of great lyricism, depicts a cove on the Costa Brava, one of Carbonell Massabé's favorite settings. Three boats rest on the sand, arranged with a harmony that balances the composition and guides the eye toward the turquoise blue horizon. The artist employs a free, vibrant, and thick brushstroke that captures the changing light of the Catalan coast.

The cliff, treated with loose and directional strokes, is tinged with ochres, greens, and violets that evoke the stark contrast between rock and vegetation. The sea, in its gradation of blue and cobalt, appears lively and transparent, reinforcing the luminous atmosphere characteristic of the painter.

The scene conveys a sense of calm, a poetic maritime pause where time seems to stand still. The confident stroke, the wise application of color, and the open composition dialogue with the pictorial tradition of the Costa Brava, evoking echoes of artists like Joaquim Mir, Francesc Gimeno, or even Sorolla's marine lyricism in the effects of light on the sand.

3. Style, School, and Artistic Valuation

Carbonell Massabé is one of the prominent voices of the Catalan Landscape School of the 20th century, inheritor of Mediterranean post-impressionism. Her painting captures light vibration with a highly personal technique, recognizable by her gestural looseness and the warmth of her color.

This painting is an excellent example of its stylistic maturity, combining chromatic mastery, compositional balance, and a Mediterranean poetics that places it within the tradition of the great Catalan landscape painters.

Its comparison with authors from the established market—such as Modest Urgell, Martí Alsina, Ramon Martí i Alsina, or some marine painters from the Olot School—demonstrates the cultural continuity and the collectible appeal of this type of works.

Overall, we are looking at an exclusive, luminous, and highly decorative piece, ideal for collectors specializing in Catalan painting, Mediterranean landscape enthusiasts, or interiors seeking an authentic, elegant work with a solid signature.