Artwork
Composition with winged nymph at sunrise
Composition with winged nymph at sunrise is an unspecified painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Alexandre de Riquer. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1894 by Alexandre de Riquer, a prominent Catalan Modernista, this oil painting presents a mythic tableau titled Composition with winged nymph at sunrise. The work resides in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and exemplifies the artist’s interest in decorative symbolism within the broader Post‑Impressionist milieu.
Subject & Meaning
At the center of the composition stands a winged nymph, her ethereal form clothed in a flowing drapery and supported by expansive, feathered wings. She is positioned in shallow water amid reeds and foliage, bathed in the early light of sunrise, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation that evokes themes of renewal and the liminal space between earth and sky.
Technique & Style
Riquer employs a warm palette dominated by golden yellows and soft oranges, allowing the rising sun to suffuse the scene with a gentle glow. The handling of light creates subtle gradations of tone that model the figure and landscape, while the decorative outlines and stylized foliage reflect the ornamental tendencies of Catalan Modernisme and the symbolic language of Post‑Impressionism.
History & Provenance
The painting was executed during a prolific period for de Riquer, when he was integrating aristocratic patronage with avant‑garde aesthetics. After remaining in private hands for several decades, it entered the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya’s holdings, where it is displayed as part of the institution’s representation of late 19th‑century Catalan art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Alexandre de Riquer i Ynglada, 7th Count of Casa Dávalos (Catalan pronunciation: ) (Born 3 May 1856 - 13 November 1920), was a versatile artist intellectual and Catalan designer, illustrator, painter, engraver, writer and poet.
