A synthetic representation of the landscape of Montserrat and the unique massif of the mountain range, through the strength of the compactness of the elements. The painter conveys the lively movement and balance of the massif through the force of modernity and the avant-garde brushstrokes. A slow work, in favour of colour and material, in a piece in which Miquel Villà manages to fully encapsulate the basic elements and colours, furthering his pursuit of synthesis. The painting is intense and material, and the thick patina, which emphasises the dark tones of the vegetation that protrudes from the rough and moulded karstic landscape of the mountain, achieves an energy and a sense of depth out of a flat composition. Miquel Villà was a painter and engraver. For family reasons, he initially lived in Bogotá, Colombia, where he studied at the School of Fine Arts. In 1920, he discovered Paris, where he continued to train at the Académie Colarossi and was influenced by avant-garde artists. From 1930, he returned to Catalonia, and lived in El Masnou, where his family had roots. Ibiza, La Pobla de Segur and Altea became his favourite landscapes. He would also spend periods in Holland, France and South America, particularly Colombia, Argentina and Venezuela, where he stayed for for many years. His is a very personal pictorial language that fuses tradition and the avant-garde.

Year 1953

Oil on canvas

55x46 cm

Miquel Villà, 1901 - 1988