Esbós del retrat del pintor Casanova i Estorach

Executed in oil, the painting employs a light brown ground that recedes behind the sitter, punctuated by broader, darker brushstrokes that suggest depth without elaborate detail. The handling reflects the Art Nouveau period’s interest in fluid lines and subtle tonal variation, while maintaining a modest, almost academic approach to portraiture.

Created toward the end of the 19th century, the work entered the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya’s holdings as part of its broader acquisition of Catalan art. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s own circle, linking the portrait to the network of Catalan painters active in the late 1800s.

Fabrés (1854–1938) was a Catalan sculptor and painter known for Orientalist scenes and historical subjects. This portrait, however, diverges from his typical themes, offering a personal study of a fellow artist and reflecting the period’s practice of documenting peers within artistic communities.