RAMÓN TUSQUETS Y MAIGNON

The life of Ramon Tusquets (Barcelona 1837 - Rome, 11.3.1904) demonstrates the inflection point brought by the Italian influence into the pictorial Spanish art throughout history. Ramon Tusquets is one of the painters who, by his own means, traveled to the Italian capital to "soak" in the Italian painting. The impression was so powerful that Tusquets decided to remain in Italy, where finally he settled and died at the beginning of the 20th century. The conception of Italy as of a place of "pilgrimage" was developed in the Spanish painting during the High Modern Age. Throughout this period, whether due to geographical proximity on the Mediterranean littoral, or due to the state sponsorship, as in case of the trips of Velasquez, a stay in Italy was considered a necessity for an artist’s training. Throughout the 18th century the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando (Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando) initiated a series of trips to Italy for the best student that, in a liberal state, continued in the 19th century. Ramon Tusquets is an example of considering the trip to Rome fundamental for the training of an artist. However, at the end of the 19th century, the center of the artistic world had already moved to Paris and the Italian stay became rather unfavourable, compared to the new and forceful modern currents. Having said this, we must also outline, that the Italian stay of Tusquets was framed by the profound commercial, cultural and personal relations that the incipient Catalan middle class was developing in the Mediterranean world since its formation in the second half of the XIX century. They are very significant but not sufficiently valued in the Spanish cultural historiography.

Ramon Tusquets was a son of a rich Barcelonese merchant who obligated him, in the first years of his life, to continue the family line in the world of trade and banking. After his father’s death, Tusquets was liberated from the familiar imposition and since his visit of the National Exhibition of Madrid in 1864 he decided to direct his life towards the artistic world. From this moment he began his studies with Ramón Moliné and shortly after, went by his own means to Rome where he settled definitively.

In the Italian capital he studied in the Chigi Academy and established relations with the circle of Catalan painters who were settled there. His presence in Italy allowed him to extend his field of influence though, on the other hand, he never left his artistic connections with Spain. Thus, in 1867 he sent to the National Exhibition a painting titled “El mendigo o Periódico” (The beggar or Newspaper) for which he got a medal of third class. His presence on various Spanish exhibitions continued throughout the last third of the 19th century. Thus, he got a medal of second class for his work Le Opere, campiña romana in 1871, took part in the Exhibition of Barcelona in 1867, presented  five canvas to the International Exhibition of Fine arts of the Town hall of Barcelona  in 1886, etc. But, simultaneously, his success in Spain and his foreign contacts allowed him to appear in the international exhibitions as the one in Naples in 1877, where he won a diploma of honor with Al toque del Ave María, the Universal Exhibition in Vienna in 1876 or the one in Paris in 1878.

The same mixture of the Spanish and the foreign is observed in his stylistic evolution. Once he settled in Italy, the profound friendship that joined him and Fortuny, who after his death was honored with the magnificent El último proyecto de Fortuny in 1874, led him to accomplishing the oils on eastern themes, as well as the views of Rome and its surroundings. However, at the same time, the influence of Domenico Morelli and the group of Neapolitan Portici is also observed in his paintings. With time, his artistic ambitions within the canons of the epoch led him to great themes of genre and history. Worth special attention are five canvas on the Catalan history created in 1886 for the residence of Miguel Boada (Proclamación del príncipe de Viana, Fivaller y Fernando de Antequera, Embarque de Jaime I a Mallorca, Roger de Lluria y el hijo del conde de Anjou y La condesa de Urgell pidiendo gracia al conde de Antequera). With these works his prestige in both Catalonia and Italy was secured. He was nominated President of the International Artistic Circle of Rome and was asked to paint the official portrait of Maria Cristina for the Town hall of Barcelona. With these works Tusquest was recognized in the official historicist genre, and later produced paintings like Después del Oficio del Pontificado (1888), Joven argelina (1891), Guardia suizo del Vaticano, La fuga, etc. His paintings were published in most important illustrated magazines of the time and exhibited on International Expositions. The Sala Parés of Barcelona dedicated an exposition to his works; he collaborated frequently with the publication “Album Salón”. He died on 11 March, 1904, in Rome, famous and recognized, having succeeded in residing in a foreign country but not having abandoned any of the style or tendencies of the Spanish painting.