Batllaura — Still life with vegetables — Second half of the 20th century — Black pencil on paper

Still life signed "Batllaura," executed in black pencil on paper, depicting a composition of vegetables and greens arranged next to a platter. The work is notable for its use of chiaroscuro, the smoothness of its tonal transitions, and the attention paid to the volumes and textures of the various elements.

An academic still life study

The composition follows the tradition of the academic still life, in which everyday objects serve to study the incidence of light, the construction of volume, and spatial relationships.

The drawing combines precise lines with broad shaded and smudged surfaces. The staggered arrangement of the vegetables introduces depth and movement into a scene with a simple, balanced approach.

The AFHA drawing courses

The reverse bears an AFHA stamp, an organization dedicated to art instruction by correspondence during the second half of the 20th century, accompanied by the indication "Professor: A. Rovira" and a handwritten correction signature.

Also appearing is the grade "Total 9 points," along with a partially legible date and annotations linking the artist to Mataró.

These marks identify the piece as a corrected and graded art training exercise, providing documentary context that is unusual for drawings of unidentified authorship.

Technical sheet

• Authorship: Signed "Batllaura." Biographical identity not established.

• Title: Still life of vegetables.

• Period: Second half of the 20th century.

• Technique: Black pencil and smudge, possibly with charcoal.

• Support: Paper.

• Dimensions: 24 × 32 cm.

• Signature: "Batllaura," in the lower right corner.

• Inscriptions and marks: On the reverse, AFHA stamp, indication "Professor: A. Rovira," correction signature, grade "Total 9 points," partially legible date, and handwritten annotations.

• Documentary provenance: Exercise from the AFHA drawing courses, related by inscription to Mataró.

• Condition: Acceptable general condition, with a moisture stain on the upper left margin, slight tonal alterations, and signs of wear on the edges.

The Studio Note

The particular interest of this piece lies in the combination of careful academic execution and documented educational provenance. The grade, the institutional stamp, and the teacher's handwritten intervention preserve part of the drawing's history, also making it a testament to 20th-century art teaching methods.