By Albert Rafols Culleres
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Spanish Post-Impressionist Fruit Still Life with Peaches, Cherries and Bananas
Artist: Albert Ràfols Cullerés (Barcelona, 1892–1986)
Title: Still Life with Fruit
Period: Circa 1930s–1940s
Origin: Spain, Catalonia
Medium: Oil on burlap (hessian canvas)
Dimensions: 14.96 × 24.02 inches (38 × 61 cm)
Signature: Hand-signed by the artist, lower right
Condition: Good vintage condition, with minor age-related surface wear and the characteristic texture of the original burlap support, as visible in the photographs.
Framing: Unframed
Style: Post-Impressionist, Catalan Modernism, Figurative Art
DESCRIPTION
An exceptional and richly textured Spanish Post-Impressionist still life by Albert Ràfols Cullerés (1892–1986), a distinguished Catalan painter and father of the internationally renowned abstract artist Albert Ràfols-Casamada.
Painted circa the 1930s–1940s, this evocative original oil painting on burlap presents an abundant arrangement of fresh Mediterranean fruit, capturing the warmth, color and timeless beauty of everyday life through a remarkably expressive painterly technique.
The composition features ripe peaches, vibrant red cherries, golden bananas, pears and citrus fruits arranged across a softly draped white tablecloth. A transparent drinking glass and a shallow ceramic plate introduce subtle reflections and structural balance, while the dark, atmospheric background intensifies the luminosity of the fruit.
Particularly captivating is the contrast between the vivid reds and purples of the peaches and cherries, the warm yellows of the bananas and the cool, silvery whites of the fabric. The artist achieves remarkable depth through confident, visible brushstrokes, sophisticated tonal transitions and a sensitive understanding of natural light.
The unusual burlap support adds a particularly attractive tactile dimension to the painting. Its pronounced woven texture interacts with the oil pigment, producing a richly textured surface that enhances the expressive character of the work. Thick, energetic applications of color coexist with delicate passages of light and shadow, revealing the artist's technical confidence and painterly spontaneity.
The elongated horizontal composition, measuring 61 cm in width, creates an elegant panoramic arrangement that makes this vintage European still life especially appealing for sophisticated interiors, traditional collections and contemporary spaces seeking the warmth of original Mediterranean art.
Signed "Albert Ràfols" in the lower right corner, this charming fruit still life represents a particularly attractive example of early-to-mid-20th-century Catalan figurative painting.
ARTISTIC INSPIRATION
This beautiful still life belongs to the rich European tradition of fruit painting, recalling the structural compositions of Paul Cézanne, the intimate atmosphere of Henri Fantin-Latour and the expressive color harmonies associated with Pierre Bonnard. Like Cézanne, Ràfols Cullerés constructs his composition through carefully balanced volumes and chromatic relationships rather than purely photographic precision. The dark background, luminous fruit and subtle reflections evoke the refined still-life tradition of Fantin-Latour, while the free, textured brushwork and vibrant Mediterranean palette reveal affinities with the Post-Impressionist sensibility of Bonnard. These stylistic parallels situate the painting within the broader development of European modern figurative art, while preserving the distinctive personality and spontaneous elegance of the Catalan school.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Albert Ràfols Cullerés (Barcelona, 1892–1986) was a Catalan painter associated with the figurative and Post-Impressionist traditions of early-20th-century Spanish art.
He studied at the prestigious Escola de Belles Arts de La Llotja in Barcelona, where his teachers included Lluís Labarta and Arcadi Mas i Fontdevila, two important figures in Catalan academic painting. Following his artistic education, he received a scholarship that allowed him to continue his studies in Madrid.
In 1917, Ràfols Cullerés held his first solo exhibition at the celebrated Galeries Laietanes in Barcelona, one of the city's leading exhibition venues during the development of Catalan modern art. He subsequently exhibited regularly at La Pinacoteca, establishing himself within Barcelona's artistic community.
His artistic production encompassed portraits, interiors, landscapes and still-life compositions. His paintings are particularly appreciated for their intimate atmosphere, expressive brushwork, distinctive framing and sensitive treatment of light.
Still-life painting formed an important part of his artistic practice. The Museu d'Art de Girona preserves an example of his work in this genre, confirming its significance within his broader career.
Ràfols Cullerés was also the father and early artistic mentor of Albert Ràfols-Casamada (1923–2009), one of the most celebrated Spanish abstract painters of the 20th century. His father's Post-Impressionist approach contributed to Ràfols-Casamada's early artistic development before the younger painter embraced abstraction.
Works by Albert Ràfols Cullerés are represented in Catalan institutional collections, including the Museu d'Art de Girona and the Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi in Barcelona.
Today, his paintings offer collectors an appealing connection to the history of Catalan Modernism, European Post-Impressionism and the distinguished Ràfols artistic family.
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Category
1930s Modern Still-life Paintings
