ANTONI DE FERRATER FELIU | PROFILE STUDY: RECTO-VERSO | CATALAN FIGURATIVE ART | GRAPHITE ON PAPER

An original double-sided drawing by Antoni de Ferrater Feliu, dated 1931, exemplifying the academic mastery of pencil drawing in pre-war Catalonia.

HISTORY AND CURATORIAL ANALYSIS

Academic Registration and Study of Proportions

Antoni de Ferrater Feliu (1911-2003), an artist associated with 20th-century Catalan figurative art, executed this rigorous portrait exercise in 1931. The work is presented as a direct study document: a recto-verso support (drawn on both sides) that houses two physiognomic approaches in strict profile. On one side, the face of a young woman notable for the softness of her features; on the other, the profile of an elderly figure, marked by greater muscular and bone tension. This duality allows us to document the artist's ability to adapt his stroke to different psychologies and ages.

The Architecture of the Stroke and the Studio Format

Upon examining the material execution, it is noted that the work is done in graphite (lead pencil), distinguishing itself from the friability and thickness characteristic of charcoal. Ferrater Feliu uses a subtle, continuous, and very clean line to define the profiles. The modeling of volume is achieved through light and directional shading in key areas (cheekbones, neck, and eye sockets), allowing the paper's unworked areas to act as the primary light source. The presence of finished drawings on both sides of the paper certifies its nature as a cabinet sketch, revealing the artist's unmediated working process.

WHY IS THIS PIECE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR COLLECTION?

• Double Composition (Recto-Verso): The existence of two complete original drawings on the same support is a highly appreciated rarity in the collecting of works on paper. It allows the viewer to interact with the piece as a three-dimensional study object, offering a double testimony to the artist's skill.

• Dating and Direct Authenticity (1931): The autograph signature and explicit dating place the work in a historiographically significant period (the Spanish Second Republic), providing a solid chronological anchor fundamental for traceability and cataloging in any graphic art collection.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Artist: Antoni de Ferrater Feliu (1911 – 2003).

• Title / Theme: Study of profiles: young woman and mature figure (Recto-Verso Portrait).

• Year / Period: 1931 (Signed and dated "ferrater 931").

• Technique and Support: Original graphite on warm-toned paper, drawn on both sides.

• Documented Dimensions: 29.5 x 23.5 cm.

• Style / Movement: Academic Figurative / Late Noucentisme.

• Provenance: Private collection.

• Condition: Good overall condition. The paper maintains its structural integrity. It shows slight foxing (natural oxidation spots) scattered across the surface, characteristic of paper from the period, which certifies its age without compromising the legibility or contrast of the pencil stroke.

THE STUDIO'S NOTE

Ferrater Feliu shows us his daily practice of drawing from life, without the filter of a final finish or the rigidity of commissioned work. It is a transparent visual document; a direct and accessible study piece, ideal for collectors who value the creative process and seek to trace the artist's initial thought through the fluidity of the stroke.

Includes Collector's Dossier: This work comes with a research study, technical data sheet, and curatorial context prepared and printed by El Taller del Coleccionista, certifying our research and known provenance.