Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Praying Hands in Violet, Large Spanish Expressionist Figurative Artwork
Artist: Vicent Calbet Riera (Spanish, 1940–1994)
Title: Praying Hands (Descriptive Title)
Date: 1993
Medium: Mixed media on paper, oil painting and watercolor
Dimensions: 98 × 68 cm / 38.6 × 26.8 in
Framed Dimensions: 120 × 90 cm / 47.2 × 35.4 in
Signature: Hand-signed and dated by the artist in the upper right corner
Framed: Yes, presented in an elegant black frame with gold detailing and black mat
Condition: Very good condition
Style: Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Figurative Expressionism
Period: Late 20th Century
Origin: Spain, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
Subject: Praying hands, spirituality, human expression, emotion
Exceptional large-scale expressionist painting by Vicent Calbet Riera (1940–1994), one of the most significant figures in the development of contemporary art in Ibiza, Spain. Created in 1993, just one year before the artist's death, this striking original mixed-media composition belongs to the final and mature period of his artistic career.
The painting depicts two monumental hands joined in an evocative gesture of prayer, contemplation, or spiritual devotion. Executed in a powerful combination of oil and watercolor, the composition merges expressive figuration with lyrical abstraction, creating a deeply emotional visual experience.
At the center of the painting, the hands emerge from an atmospheric violet background, their forms defined by fiery shades of orange, vermilion, crimson, and brilliant yellow. Energetic touches of turquoise blue, white, and charcoal black introduce movement, contrast, and remarkable visual intensity.
The artist's sophisticated handling of different media is particularly compelling. Thick, expressive applications of oil emphasize the hands, giving them an almost sculptural presence, while the watercolor background produces a soft, atmospheric field of purples and blues.
This extraordinary interplay between materiality and transparency creates a fascinating tension between the physical and the spiritual, the tangible and the intangible.
The hands appear to rise from the composition, transforming a recognizable human gesture into a universal symbol of hope, vulnerability, meditation, and transcendence.
Rather than pursuing traditional anatomical realism, Calbet dissolves the boundaries of the human form through vigorous brushwork, gestural abstraction, and an exceptionally expressive use of color.
The resulting image possesses an almost mystical quality, encouraging viewers to discover their own emotional and symbolic interpretations.
The painting exemplifies the mature artistic language of Vicent Calbet, whose work progressively evolved from figurative representation toward a highly personal synthesis of expressive gesture, abstraction, color, and psychological intensity.
Its creation in 1993 is particularly noteworthy. That same year, the artist was the subject of an important retrospective exhibition, *Vicent Calbet. Trenta anys de pintura*, organized in Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca, celebrating three decades of artistic production.
Measuring an impressive 98 × 68 cm (38.6 × 26.8 inches), the original painting has a commanding vertical presence. Its elegant black and gold frame brings the overall dimensions to 120 × 90 cm (47.2 × 35.4 inches), making it an outstanding statement piece for sophisticated contemporary interiors.
The remarkable combination of vibrant color, emotional expression, and spiritual symbolism makes this original Spanish painting...
Category
1990s Abstract Expressionist Barcelona - Paintings
MaterialsMixed Media, Oil, Watercolor
