Joaquín Callabed — “Au Lapin Agile, Montmartre” — Watercolor on paper

Original watercolor by Joaquín Callabed Carracedo dedicated to one of the most iconic corners of the historic Parisian neighborhood of Montmartre: the famous cabaret Au Lapin Agile, located on rue des Saules.

The composition reproduces the characteristic light-toned building and green shutters through a delicate, luminous, and direct execution, paying special attention to the tranquil atmosphere of the small streets of Montmartre.

Montmartre as a pictorial motif

Joaquín Callabed has maintained a close personal and cultural connection with Paris, a city where he completed part of his training and which appears repeatedly in both his writings and his watercolor production.

Within his pictorial work, his urban views of Montmartre and Saint-Germain stand out, featuring cafés, bookstores, streets, and historic establishments treated with an intimate and evocative gaze.

This work is fully integrated into this Parisian theme.

Au Lapin Agile and the Bohemian Paris

The building depicted corresponds to the historic Au Lapin Agile, one of the most well-known cabarets in Montmartre.

Founded during the 19th century, the establishment became a meeting place for writers, musicians, and artists linked to the Parisian bohemian scene. Its history is closely related to names such as Pablo Picasso, Max Jacob, Maurice Utrillo, and other protagonists of the early 20th-century artistic scene.

Callabed represents the building from the rue des Saules, identifiable by the street sign itself and the cabaret's characteristic plaque located on the facade.

The watercolor avoids any human presence and focuses attention on the architecture, the green shutters, the vegetation, and the slope of the street, conveying a quiet and nostalgic image of historic Montmartre.

Joaquín Callabed and watercolor

Joaquín Callabed Carracedo was born in Biescas, Huesca, and primarily developed his professional career in the fields of medicine, pediatrics, and the humanities.

His approach to painting came through watercolor. He trained at the Watercolorists' Association of Catalonia and subsequently expanded his learning in Paris alongside the French painter André Renoux, an artist especially known for his depictions of Parisian streets, cafés, and establishments.

In 2018, he presented the exhibition From Paris to Barcelona in Barcelona, consisting of watercolors of both cities with a special presence of Montmartre scenes.

Data sheet

• Author: Joaquín Callabed Carracedo.
• Title: Au Lapin Agile, Montmartre.
• Title: Descriptive, assigned for cataloging.
• Technique: Watercolor on paper.
• Dimensions: 53.5 × 47.5 cm.
• Signature: Signed “J. Callabed” in the lower right corner.
• Subject: Urban landscape / Paris / Montmartre.
• Location: Au Lapin Agile, rue des Saules, Montmartre, Paris.
• Period: Contemporary Spanish art.
• Provenance: Private collection.
• Condition: Good general condition. Small signs typical of the paper and its handling are visible in the photographs.

Workshop Note

A particularly pleasant watercolor due to the chosen subject and its intimate character.

Callabed represents one of the most legendary places of artistic Montmartre without resorting to the usual tourist image of its crowded streets. The absence of figures, the soft greens of the vegetation, and the slightly blurred facades produce a tranquil scene, almost frozen in time.

The interest of the piece lies mainly in its Parisian theme, its good format, and the author's own personal relationship with the city and the cultural world of Montmartre.