19th Century, Spanish

Regarded as one of the most outstanding exponents of Realism in Spain, Ramón Martí i Alsina played a key role in the renewal of Catalan painting in the second half of the nineteenth century. He not only began to practice a new concept of painting but also contributed to liberating art education in Catalonia from restrictive academic methods and he promoted the organization of Fine Arts exhibitions in Barcelona.

Born in a humble family who did not approve of his ambition to become a painter, he decided to study Philosophy while attending evening classes in Drawing at the . His artistic convictions were forged through a self-taught process, outside official teaching.

To advance his self-learning he felt that he needed to acquaint himself with what was going on in advanced art circles in Paris. With that purpose in mind, he travelled to the French capital in 1855 to visit the Exposition Universelle. In Paris he would discover the works of the landscape artists from the and of Gustave Courbet (1819-1877), pointing out a way forward along a path he had already taken intuitively.

In 1859, after spending nearly eight years working as a teacher at La Lonja, Martí i Alsina was appointed a member of the Academy. In his acceptance speech he expressed his opposition to the then holding sway in official circles. His studio started to be a meeting place and a redoubt for art reflection, where he expounded his methodology but without imposing his style.

From 1858 through 1862 he took part in the National Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid, at which he obtained several medals. He began to gain many clients among the Catalan bourgeoisie of the time, a fact that allowed him to work without financial worries.

In 1866, he resigned from his post as an Academician owing to ideological reasons. A year later he travelled to Paris again, where his artistic convictions were further reinforced. This journey marked a turning point in his career, beginning what is generally viewed as his period of splendour, which lasted until 1880. His production increased and he began actively promoting the in Barcelona.

In 1870 he was dismissed as a teacher due to his refusal to swear allegiance to the constitution of King Amadeo I of Spain, something that distanced him from official circles. In 1872 two of his children died almost simultaneously. In those days, his personal economy grew increasingly precarious and he was forced into debt.

Upon the death of his wife in 1878 he moved to Paris, where he lived until 1880. When he returned to Barcelona he found the atmosphere too suffocating for his ambitions. In the ensuing period, which lasted until his death, his financial restraints forced him to accept commercial commissions, something that limited his evolution as an artist as it took away time for his personal work. That notwithstanding, he still managed to create paintings of exceptional quality.

Martí i Alsina died in Barcelona on 21 December 1894 due to an illness that was worsened by his stubborn determination to keep painting outdoors by the sea.