Jaume Minguell Miret (1922-1991) - NO RESERVE - Kitchen Still Life - NO RESERVE

1. TECHNICAL DATA Author: Jaume Minguell Miret Birth and death: Tàrrega, 1922 – 1991 School: Catalan School Chronology: 1983 Date: Dated “1983” next to the signature Genius: Still life / bodegón Theme: Still life with game bird, ceramics, basket and fruits Technique: Oil painting Support: Canvas Measurements of the work without frame: 65 × 54 cm Total measurements with frame: 83 × 72 cm Orientation: Vertical Signature: Signed “J. Minguell Miret” in the lower right corner Location of the signature: Lower right corner Style: Catalan figuration of the 20th century, with naturalistic elements and an expressive brushstroke Color palette: Ochers, earth tones, browns, deep greens, whites, grays, reds and purples Represented elements: Game bird, basket, ceramic vessel with mortar, glazed vessel, red fruits, fabrics and domestic utensils Frame: Important golden frame of classical taste with ornamental moulding, included as a gift Support condition: Canvas mounted on wooden stretcher, visible on the reverse Surface condition: Generally good preservation, with texture and paint matter typical of oil technique Overall condition: Good in relation to its chronology. The photographs form an integral part of the description 2. DESCRIPTION An interesting still life dated 1983 by Jaume Minguell Miret, a Catalan painter whose production encompassed both easel painting and important mural projects. The composition gathers a set of domestic objects and foods arranged around a game bird placed in the foreground. On a broad light cloth appear the bird and various reddish fruits, while in the background there is a basket of plant fibers, ceramic containers, a mortar and several pieces of pottery. The scene is built with a clear intention of reviving the traditional still life, though interpreted through a fully contemporary pictorial sensibility. The artist gives special importance to textures: the plumage of the bird, the rough surface of the basket, the shine of the glazed ceramics, the material of the fruits and the folds of the fabric receive differentiated treatments. The overall has notable visual richness and a strong decorative presence, reinforced by the vertical format and by the monumental way in which everyday objects are presented. 3. STYLISTIC AND COMPOSITIONAL ANALYSIS The composition is structured by a clear pyramidal organization. In the foreground, the game bird occupies the lower left area and constitutes one of the main visual centers of the scene. Its diagonal position introduces movement and directs the eye toward the central area, where the fruits and the large glazed vessel are found. The latter acts as a transitional element between the foreground and the large basket behind it. The basket constitutes the dominant volume of the background and adds verticality to the whole. On either side appear smaller containers that balance the composition and avoid an overly symmetrical organization. Minguell works with a visible and confident brushstroke. The plumage is built with small brushstrokes in grays, purples, whites and earth tones, while the ceramic objects display more compact brushwork aimed at describing their volume. Particularly interesting is the contrast between matte and shiny surfaces. The central vessel reflects small points of light, while the plant fibers of the basket are described with short brushstrokes that visually reproduce their weave. The dark, nearly neutral background eliminates spatial distraction and concentrates attention on the objects. This procedure links to the great European tradition of the still life, where objects emerge from contained backgrounds through light and contrast. However, the execution remains modern. The brushstroke is not concealed beneath an academic finish, but clearly retains the artist’s gesture, especially in the bird, the fabrics and the fruits. 4. PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SYMBOLIC DIMENSION The still life has a dimension particularly tied to domestic life, to food and to the materiality of everyday objects. Minguell gathers humble elements — ceramics, plant fibers, fruits and fabrics — and transforms them through painting into protagonists of a monumental composition. The presence of the game bird also introduces a direct reference to the historical tradition of European still lifes. Since the Baroque, game pieces were used as elements of strong visual presence and as demonstrations of the painter’s technical ability to represent different materials and textures. Here, however, the treatment is devoid of excessive theatricality. A sense of silence and stability prevails. The arrangement of objects and the restrained lighting create an intimate, almost domestic atmosphere, where each element seems to retain the weight and physical presence of things used and lived with. 5. SIGNATURE AND AUTHORITY The work appears clearly signed “J. Minguell Miret” in the lower right corner. Below the signature is also the date “1983”, allowing precise dating of the painting. Jaume Minguell Miret was born in Tàrrega in 1922 and died in 1991. He developed an extensive artistic career throughout the 20th century, working in both easel painting and mural projects. His production evolved through different pictorial languages, always maintaining special attention to the construction of form, material and color. This work belongs to a mature stage of his career. Completed in 1983, it shows confident painting, technically mastered, where the artist combines a recognizable representation of objects with a free and visible brushstroke. The signature, date and technical characteristics allow cataloging the work directly as a creation by Jaume Minguell Miret. 6. OTHER INTERESTING DATA Jaume Minguell Miret developed a career of more than fifty years devoted to painting. Although he is especially recognized for his important mural production, he also developed an extensive easel work including landscape, figuration, drawing, illustration and other pictorial genres. His artistic career is characterized by constant evolution and exposure to different currents of 20th-century European painting. The work presented here is particularly interesting for belonging to the 1980s, within the final, mature stage of the artist. The still life allows appreciation of his ability to work with different materials and surfaces: plumage, ceramics, plant fibers, fabrics and fruits receive differentiated pictorial solutions. The 65 × 54 cm format also provides a considerable dimension to the composition. The work is presented with a significant golden frame of a classical character that reaches total dimensions of approximately 83 × 72 cm and reinforces the visual presence of the piece. 7. SHIPPING AND CONDITIONS The work will be professionally packed by Barcelona Art Gallery using maximum-protection materials. Packing will be done with a custom-made crate and specific foam protections to guarantee maximum safety during transport. We offer national and international shipments through a professional company. To certain destinations, especially outside the European Union, there may be additional costs arising from customs, taxes, documentation or export procedures, which will be borne by the buyer when applicable. When the destination characteristics or packaging require reinforced protection there may be additional transport or handling costs. The frame is offered free of charge as a complement to the artwork and is considered a gift. For this reason, the frame cannot be the subject of a claim. The condition of the artwork and the frame can be seen in detail in the photographs, which form an integral part of the description.

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