By Simon Busom
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Mid Century Barcelona Cathedral Rooftops Oil Painting, Mediterranean Spanish Modernist Cityscape, 1969
Striking mid-century modern cityscape painted in 1969 by Catalan artist Simó Busom i Grau depicting the rooftops of Barcelona with the iconic Gothic towers of the Barcelona Cathedral rising dramatically above the urban skyline.
The composition captures the cathedral not from the usual monumental viewpoint but from an intimate elevated perspective across the rooftops of the historic city. Terraces, railings, chimneys and walls create a rhythmic architectural structure guiding the viewer’s eye toward the cathedral towers.
Busom builds the scene through simplified volumes and confident brushwork. Warm ochres, pale terracotta tones and cool Mediterranean blues interact across the surface, creating a luminous atmosphere characteristic of Barcelona’s historic center.
The painting reflects the artist’s mature style during the late 1960s, when his work moved toward a modern figurative language influenced by post-impressionism and elements of Catalan fauvism. The architecture is not rendered with strict realism but with painterly interpretation, allowing color and texture to define space.
Executed in oil with visible impasto and expressive brushwork, the painting possesses strong decorative presence and an unmistakable Mediterranean character.
Because of its date, subject and scale, the work fits naturally within the tradition of mid-century European modernist cityscapes and is particularly appealing for collectors of Spanish modern painting...
Category
1960s Impressionist Clifford Grear Alexander Art
