Rafael Duran Benet

fishermen port Spain oil on board painting spanish seascape mediterranean

c.1990

Rafael Duran Benet (1931-2015) - Marina - Oil Oil canvas glued to tablex. Oil measures 33x41 cm. Frame measures 37x45 cm. Rafael Duran Benet (Terra...

RAFAEL DURAN BENET (Terrassa, 1931 – Barcelona, 2015) Title: Port of Barcelona Technique: Oil on canvas-board Dimensions: 61 × 46 cm — (24 × 18.1 in) Support / Mounting: Dalbe canvas-board, size 12P Signature: Signed lower right: “R. D.” Period / Date: c. 1980–1990 Condition: Very good. Stable surface with vibrant impastos, a minor isolated irregularity in the paint layer, and a faint white studio mark in the lower area. No losses or retouching. Framing: Unframed. Provenance: Private collection, Sitges. (Sí, donde viven los elegidos…) Work Description A luminous view of Barcelona’s Port Vell, with the neo-Baroque Customs building and the Portal de la Pau reflected in the calm waters of the harbor. In the foreground, sailboats and fishing boats form a horizontal frieze that contrasts with the vertical silhouettes of palm trees and towers in the background. The brushstroke is free, broken, rich in impasto and chromatic transparency, capturing the trembling air of the Mediterranean. Ochres, pinks and blues merge into a vibrant atmosphere, characteristic of the artistic maturity of Rafael Durán Benet, who managed to infuse urban landscapes with the same poetic spirit present in his views of Cadaqués and the Costa Brava. Artistic Commentary Rafael Durán Benet represents the continuity of post-war Catalan Impressionism, heir to Joaquim Mir and to his uncle Rafael Benet i Vancells, yet with a looser and more modern interpretation. His painting blends architectural precision with chromatic freedom, achieving a balance between structure and emotion. In this work, port architecture becomes a pictorial motif where color and light are the true protagonists. The sense of movement on the water and the warm atmosphere evoke the same sensitivity found in artists such as Ignacio Gil Sala, Jordi Pagans Montsalvatje...

Tranquil Spanish Fishing Port, Signed Oil By Gomez, Spanish artist, Mid 20th Century Oil painting on canvas, framed Signed by the artist on the lower right hand corner framed size: 2...

The Old Town Harbor French School, mid 20th century signed oil on board, unframed board : 24 x 32 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: very good condition (slight...