Artwork
De soirée
De soirée is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Romà Ribera i Cirera. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
About this work
Overview
Romà Ribera i Cirera, a Catalan painter active in the late nineteenth century, completed the oil work De soirée in 1898. Executed in a post‑impressionist idiom, the canvas records a moment from a contemporary social gathering and now belongs to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman seated on a red settee, her white dress loosely draped and her dark hair gathered in a ponytail. She holds a blue shoe, gazing intently at it, suggesting a private, perhaps contemplative episode within the larger soirée.
Technique & Style
Ribera renders the scene with a realistic, highly detailed approach, employing chiaroscuro to model the figures and furnishings. The interplay of light and shadow across the fireplace, mirror and patterned rugs creates depth, while the texture of fabrics and the sheen of the shoe are meticulously depicted.
Context
Ribera was known for chronicling the leisure activities of the upper classes, both in his own era and in historical settings. De soirée reflects the artist’s interest in the rituals of modern high society, capturing the interior décor and social customs of late‑Victorian Barcelona.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the painting has remained in Catalonia, entering the permanent collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, where it is displayed among other works illustrating the region’s artistic development at the turn of the century.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Romà Ribera i Cirera (13 December 1848, Barcelona - 29 May 1935, Barcelona) was a Catalan genre painter.
