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Francesc Miralles i Galaup (6 April 1848,
at the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana. While there, he began to scribble drawings in his notebooks and became convinced that he should be an artist. His parents, naturally, wanted him to continue with the family business.
After seeing him in his father's office, drawing pictures on the ledgers and paperwork, they relented and, in 1862, found him a place in the studios of
When he turned eighteen, he received parental permission (and financial support) to study in Paris, where he would remain until 1893, with occasional visits home. During his first years there, he copied masterworks at the
He suffered from chronic bronchitis so, after his parents had died (within a year of each other), he decided to return to Barcelona, seeking a milder climate. His sister Carmen had already returned there years before, after her marriage, so he had no relatives left in Paris. Rumors, however, suggested that his real reason for leaving was that his paintings were going out of style. Whatever the reason, he arrived in Barcelona in 1893 and his home soon became a gathering place for the creative community. He continued to exhibit at the Salon in Paris, but never repeated his earlier successes. To help him re-establish himself, his brother-in-law, (a wealthy manufacturer and philanthropist), obtained a commission for him to decorate the ceiling of a new private concert hall at the Liceu.
He had never truly gotten over the loss of his mother. By 1898, Carmen had become seriously concerned about his increasing isolation and worsening health. Salvador agreed that something should be done, so he persuaded Miralles to live in "The Towers", a small house next to theirs where he would have more company, but his health continued to decline. One day, they came to visit and found him lying in front of his easel, dead from an apparent heart attack.
''Destino'' #508
(pag. 10), April 1947 * Carlos González López, ''Madrazo, Masriera y Miralles, tres pintores del siglo XIX'': Sala de Exposiciones Banco Bilbao Vizcaya (1995).
Arcadja Auctions: More works by Miralles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miralles i Galaup, Francesc 1848 births 1901 deaths Painters from the Valencian Community Painters from Catalonia Spanish genre painters Artists from Valencia 19th-century Spanish painters 19th-century Spanish male artists Spanish male painters
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
– 30 October 1901, Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
) was a Spanish painter, best known for his realistic scenes of bourgeois life and high society.
Biography
His family was involved in several businesses enterprises. When he was five, they sold some of their interests and relocated to Barcelona. In 1855, he was enrolled at the new Collegi Maristes Valldemia inMataró
Mataró () is the capital and largest town of the ''comarca'' of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sa ...
, a private Catholic school.Brief biographyat the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana. While there, he began to scribble drawings in his notebooks and became convinced that he should be an artist. His parents, naturally, wanted him to continue with the family business.
After seeing him in his father's office, drawing pictures on the ledgers and paperwork, they relented and, in 1862, found him a place in the studios of Ramon Martí Alsina
Ramón Martí i Alsina (10 August 1826, Barcelona - 21 December 1894, Barcelona) was a Spanish painter in the Realism (art), Realistic style.
Biography
He was born to the humble family of a city official and was orphaned at the age of eight.< ...
, where he studied for several years. He soon displayed an interest in figure painting, as opposed to his teacher's favored landscapes.
Years in Paris
When he turned eighteen, he received parental permission (and financial support) to study in Paris, where he would remain until 1893, with occasional visits home. During his first years there, he copied masterworks at the Louvre
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
and may have worked briefly with Alexandre Cabanel. He eventually had several small studios in Montmartre
Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue Ca ...
and on the Rue Laffitte.
He exhibited regularly at the Salon
Salon may refer to:
Common meanings
* Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments
* French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home
* Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment
Arts and entertainment
* Salon (P ...
and the Sala Parés, back home in Barcelona. He also became a client of the well-known art dealership Goupil & Cie
Goupil & Cie is an international auction house and merchant of contemporary art and collectibles. Jean-Baptiste Adophe Goupil founded Goupil & Cie in 1850. Goupil & Cie became a leading art dealership in 19th-century France, with its headquart ...
, attracting wealthy buyers throughout Europe and America. This was a relief to his family, who had initially been concerned that they might have to support him indefinitely. Their ability to do so had been compromised as they had lost much of their fortune in the Panic of 1866
The Panic of 1866 was an international financial downturn that accompanied the failure of Overend, Gurney and Company in London, and the ''corso forzoso'' abandonment of the silver standard in Italy.
In Britain, the economic impacts are held pa ...
and were losing more of it as they paid off their debts. In fact, they eventually moved to Paris so he could help support them.
Return to Barcelona
He suffered from chronic bronchitis so, after his parents had died (within a year of each other), he decided to return to Barcelona, seeking a milder climate. His sister Carmen had already returned there years before, after her marriage, so he had no relatives left in Paris. Rumors, however, suggested that his real reason for leaving was that his paintings were going out of style. Whatever the reason, he arrived in Barcelona in 1893 and his home soon became a gathering place for the creative community. He continued to exhibit at the Salon in Paris, but never repeated his earlier successes. To help him re-establish himself, his brother-in-law, (a wealthy manufacturer and philanthropist), obtained a commission for him to decorate the ceiling of a new private concert hall at the Liceu.
He had never truly gotten over the loss of his mother. By 1898, Carmen had become seriously concerned about his increasing isolation and worsening health. Salvador agreed that something should be done, so he persuaded Miralles to live in "The Towers", a small house next to theirs where he would have more company, but his health continued to decline. One day, they came to visit and found him lying in front of his easel, dead from an apparent heart attack.
References
Further reading
* Juan Cortés Vidal, "El Pintor Francisco Miralles", in ''Anales y boletín de los museos de arte de Barcelona'' (1947) * Rafael Santos i Torroella, ''El pintor Francisco Miralles'', Editorial RM (1974). * Joan Teixidor i Comes, "Antonio Caba y Francisco Miralles: dos pintores ochocentistas", i''Destino'' #508
(pag. 10), April 1947 * Carlos González López, ''Madrazo, Masriera y Miralles, tres pintores del siglo XIX'': Sala de Exposiciones Banco Bilbao Vizcaya (1995).
External links
Arcadja Auctions: More works by Miralles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miralles i Galaup, Francesc 1848 births 1901 deaths Painters from the Valencian Community Painters from Catalonia Spanish genre painters Artists from Valencia 19th-century Spanish painters 19th-century Spanish male artists Spanish male painters