Nude with a Guitar

There are three oil paintings by Ramon Casas depicting female nudes in the collections of Cau Ferrat. They are Nu amb guitarra (Nude with Guitar), Nu femení d’escorç (Foreshortened Female Nude), and Nu femení (Female Nude). Only the first one is dated, from 1894, but the similarity of the two means that we can date them from around the same time.

The interest in the undulating lines and the arabesques of the forms show the clear influence from works by Auguste Rodin, such as Andromeda and Danaïd. Therefore, we can detect the ascendency of this great French sculptor in the works of painters who were fleeing from all forms of Academicism and seeking more independent solutions. This is evidence of how Rodin’s work exerted an influence beyond the field of sculpture.

What stands out is the extraordinary sensitivity with which Casas deals with the nude and his ability to achieve perfect color harmony, using pearlized tones over a monochrome background. The painter was fascinated by the possibilities offered by nudes, but never with a desire for provocation, and this is why his characters are never looking directly at the hypothetical viewer.

We present today's amazing painting thanks to the Cau Ferrat Museum.  : )

P.S. Here you will find tormented lovers, sumptuous players, and other examples of guitarists in art!