Although Miquel Utrillo is known mostly for his behind-the-scenes work as a cultural promoter, he also created an excellent body of artwork. Although less abundant that his graphic output, he also made many praiseworthy paintings, the most significant of which date from his early practice in Paris and Catalonia.

The painting in hand shows a fine view of the landscape of Montserrat. Although undated, the work is from around 1896, the year he went to this location to paint in the company of his good friend Santiago Rusiñol (1861-1931). Utrillo visited Montserrat on several occasions and, in fact, he installed the first thermometer to record high and low temperatures here. According to Ignasi Domènech, we know that he had visited this location in 1878, but it was not until his return from the United States in 1893 when he undertook a painterly campaign in this spot. Rusiñol and Utrillo maintained a close friendship since they first met in 1879, at the Associació d´Excursions Catalana. Their friendship would later strengthen around Cau Ferrat, Rusiñol’s home-studio, particularly in the period between 1895 and 1899.

This painting boasts notable beauty and elegance, with a dominance of soft tones and a play of cold and warm colours to lend nuances to the light and shadows. The higher contrast of the pine wood in the middle ground captures the viewer’s attention, while also heightening the sense of distance to the peaks of the rocky massif. This is a beautiful and unique sample by one of the great names of Catalan culture.