Agapit Vallmitjana i Barbany (1833-1905)
Works
In Catalonia:
Christ in cross (1866)
Christ recumbent (2) (1872 – 1876)
The Lions Hunter (Ciutadella Park in
Barcelona 1884)
Boy fountain (Can Mantega Gardens in
Barcelona 1880)
Bison
Orangutan cub
Christopher Columbus
Elephant
Elisabeth II introduce Alphonse XII
(Pedralbes Palace in Barcelona)
Faun and Nymph
Female Nudes (2)
Heraldic lions (Monument to Columbus in
Barcelona)
Lion (Ciutadella Park Zoo in Barcelona)
Monastery of Montserrat façade
(Together with his brother Venanci)
Monk with an ill man in his arms
Old faun
The Commerce (Ciutadella Park in Barcelona)
The Guardian Angel
The Thorn Coronation
The Immaculate Conception
The Industry (Ciutadella Park in Barcelona)
The Pietà
The Tradition
Two dromedaries
Lion (Parc de la Ciutadella Zoo in Barcelona)
Heraldic lions (Monument to Columbus in
Barcelona)
Lucifer
Napolitana
Saint Francis
Saint Francis of Paul
Saint Joan de Déu (Saint John of God)
Saint Jordi (Saint George)
Saint Stephen
Silé
Head of camel
Zinger
Funerary sculpture:
Main gate of the Poble Nou cemetery
in Barcelona
Vilaregut family Mausoleum (Southwest
Cemetery in Barcelona)
Urquinaona Bishop Mausoleum
Out of Catalonia:
Monument to the king James the I
(València 1891)
Jorbalán Vicountess Mausoleum
(Adoratrius Church in València)
Life
Born in Barcelona in 1833.
He studied together with its brother Venanci in the School of Llotja in Barcelona, as a disciple of the famous Catalonian sculptor Damiá Campeny.
He began his artistic career in collaboration with his brother, sculpting small nativity scene figures in the Baroque style in a shop in Tapinería Street, Barcelona. In 1872, they travelled to Manchester, England, where they executed portraits of Lord and Lady Stanley.
In 1881, he became a professor at the School of Llotja, where he had formerly been a student.
As with his brother Venanci’s work, his sculptures are very realistic in style and are noted for the great deal of care which he put into their detail. Much of his work was done in collaboration with his brother, and at times, it is difficult to attribute a work to one or another.
Agapit’s work is traditionally considered to be complementary to that of his brother Venanci, which is regarded as being the more spectacular; nevertheless, the work of Agapit is appreciated for the formal perfection that the most brilliant work of Venanci does not reach.
Although the Vallmitjana brothers should be considered as academic sculptors working in a realistic style, and therefore predating modernism (Catalan Art Nouveau), because the majority of their work was carried out before of this style emerged, the fact that both were teachers of famous modernist sculptors, such as Llimona, Gargallo and others, gives them a special importance as precursors of the style.
Agapit Barbany died in Barcelona in 1905.
Images
(L to R)
The Commerce – The Industry – The Lions Hunter
Specific Bibliography |
|||
| Title | Author | Published by | Year |
|
Guía del Cementerio de Montjuïc |
Aguado, Neus |
Institut Municipal dels Serveis |
1993 |
| L’escultura catalana | Cirici i Pellicer | 1957 | |
| Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana | Different authors | Enciclopèdia Catalana | |
| Enciclopèdia Salvat Català | Different authors | Edicions Salvat | |
| Un siglo de escultura catalana | Infiesta, José Manuel | 1975 | |
| Diccionario bibliográfico de artistas de Cataluña | Ràfols, J. F. | 1953 | |
| L’escultura del segle XIX a Catalunya | Subirachs i Burgaya, Judit |
Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat |
1994 |
<Catàleg de donatius |
Junta de Museus de Catalunya |
1935 |
|
Other Catalan Art Nouveau Sculptors
Eusebi ARNAU i Mascort
Miquel BLAY i Fabregues
Joan Carreres
Enric Clarasó i Daudí
Lambert Escaler i Milà
Manel FUXÀ i Leal
Pau GARGALLO i Catalán
Alfons Juyol i Bach
Josep LLIMONA i Bruguera
Agustí Querol
Josep Reynés i Gurguí
Agapit VALLMITJANA i Barbany
VenancI VALLMITJANA i Barbany
