Joan Cardona

JOAN CARDONA I LLADÓS (Barcelona, 1877-1957).
"Gypsy".
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 100 x 80 cm; 109,5 x 90 cm (frame).

Big black eyes of serene look shine with intensity in this gypsy face, animated by an enigmatic smile, hardly insinuated. The emerald-colored gemstone earrings, the red flower adorning the headdress and the amber necklace sparkle against the dark complexion. The bangs of the mantilla fall in disarray on the lap, and underneath the floral dress peeks out. The mottled background in different shades of blue harmonizes with the colorful attire. The female portrait was the great theme of Joan Cardona, who knew how to give pictorial form to the sensuality of women in the most disparate environments, from the most glamorous to the most humble, as in the case of this beautiful gypsy.

Trained at the Escuela de Bellas Artes de la Lonja and at the Academia Baixeras in Barcelona, he furthered his studies in Paris, where he settled for several years. In the French capital he formed a group with the best illustrators of the time, such as Cappiello, Sem, Steinlen and Roubille. Painter and draftsman, he developed an important activity in the field of illustration, collaborating with Spanish magazines such as "El Gato Negro" and "Hispania", and in the French magazines "Le Rire" and "Simplicissimus". His collaboration with "Jugend", the flagship magazine of Viennese modernism, the Jugendstil, stands out. In his Parisian period Cardona achieved international fame thanks to his pen drawings, characterized by the sharpness of the stroke and strong expressive values. On the contrary, in his painting he subordinates line to color, with warm tones in his early years and cold ranges in his maturity. His paintings, of great expressive force and dense impasto, define the protagonism of the woman, who is outlined on vibrant, almost abstract backgrounds, in a style that brings him close to Anglada Camarasa. In 1897 he was awarded a prize in the competition organized by the Mariana Academy of Lleida. He exhibited in Paris in the Salons d'Automne and of the Societé Nationale, obtaining in both the title of "societaire". He participated in the International Exhibitions of Fine Arts of Barcelona in 1907 and 1929. He is represented in the Museum of Luxembourg, in Paris.