Artwork
Un poble empordanès
Un poble empordanès is an unspecified painting by Francisco Gimeno Arasa. It dates from 1902 and is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1902 by the Catalan painter Francisco Gimeno Arasa, *Un poble empordanès* presents a modest town nestled in the Empordà region of Catalonia. The work is part of the permanent collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, illustrating the artist’s long‑standing interest in everyday landscapes and urban scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas captures a narrow street flanked by low, brown‑yellow rooftops and occasional chimneys, leading the eye toward a distant mountain that dominates the horizon. By foregrounding the ordinary architecture against the expansive backdrop, Gimeno emphasizes the relationship between human habitations and the surrounding natural environment.
Technique & Style
Visible brushwork lends a tactile quality to the scene, while a restrained palette of earth tones creates atmospheric depth. The composition balances linear perspective of the street with the softened, receding forms of the mountain, a hallmark of Gimeno’s approach to rendering light and space in his regional landscapes.
History & Provenance
Born in 1858, Gimeno worked across portraiture, landscape, and genre painting, often depicting familiar Catalan settings. *Un poble empordanès* entered the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya’s holdings through acquisition in the early 20th century, where it remains a representative example of his early‑period output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francesc Gimeno i Arasa (4 February 1858 – 22 November 1927) was a Spanish painter and graphic artist best known for his landscapes, city scenes and self-portraits.
