AURELI TOLOSA Y ALSINA (Barcelona, 1861 - 1938). "Landscape and figures at dusk". Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower right corner. Size: 68 x 138 cm; 95 x 165 cm (frame). The present canvas shows a landscape worked in depth, with achieved perspective, perfectly defined in colours and shades. Its colour, brushstroke, theme, composition and general vision are typical of Aureli Tolosa: his natures are emotional, in them he pours his feeling, as well as in the peasants who always populate them. Tolosa y Alsina was initially a disciple of the French master and painter Justin Simon and later of the master Modest Urgell. From his youth he was noted for his technical skill and his inspiration, especially in the field of landscape painting, which is borne out by his enormous collection. He found numerous clients and powerful admirers among the Catalan and Spanish bourgeoisie and aristocracy, and worked on the decoration of bourgeois houses, such as the Palace of the Count of Figols and the Casa del Senyor Vitellin in the Plaça de Catalunya, as well as decorating the new headquarters of the Banco Americano. His popularity among the bourgeoisie made him much in demand as a private painting master; he thus came to have a large number of disciples and attained a high social standing. He took part in various art competitions and exhibitions in Barcelona, where he was awarded several prizes. His work includes paintings of landscapes and vases of flowers, but it was his fan paintings that earned him the status of a neat painter and excellent decorator. Also worthy of note are his imitations of antique paintings, as well as the tapestry, enamel and gilding of various works that he painted in his studio in the Plaza de Letamendi, in the city of Barcelona. He became very popular on the peninsula, and specialised newspapers such as La Esfera: la ilustración mundial or La Ilustración Artística, among others, often mentioned him as a great master. His presence in exhibitions and competitions at the national level was frequent and he was often awarded prizes. For example, he took part in the General Exhibition of Fine Arts in Barcelona in 1894, the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madrid in 1930 and even in an exhibition of Spanish products held in Melilla in 1916. Although he painted individually, he was a member of the Artistic and Literary Society of Catalonia, based in the Sala Parés, which organised annual exhibitions in which its members - Catalan painters such as Modest Urgell, Joaquim Mir and José Masriera - exhibited their work. He also often collaborated with the Sala Busquets in Passeig de Gràcia, also in Barcelona. As has been said, he was a highly valued figure at local and national level, and was awarded numerous prizes, including the following: General Exhibition of Fine Arts of 1894. Painting Section Prize at the Exhibition of Plants and Flowers in 1895. 1st Class Medal. International Furniture Exhibition of 1924. Medal of Honour.