JOSEP RIGOL FORNAGUERA | SKETCH OF ÁVILA: PLAZA AND CHURCH OF LAS VACAS | PREPARATORY DRAWING WITH ANNOTATIONS (PENCIL)

An exceptional working document that allows us to enter the mind of the artist, revealing his creative process through corrections and handwritten notes on the Castilian landscape.

HISTORY AND CURATORIAL ANALYSIS

The Chronicler's Eye: Josep Rigol Fornaguera (1882–1958) was a Catalan draftsman and painter known for his ability to capture rural architecture and atmosphere with ethnographic precision. This work is not a finished drawing, but something more interesting: it is a "field sketch" made from life in Ávila. It depicts the Plaza and Church of Las Vacas , an iconic corner of the walled city.

Visual and Documentary Analysis: The work is executed in graphite pencil on laid or sketch paper. The lines are confident and descriptive, focusing on the architecture of the church and the stone cross in the foreground. What elevates the value of this piece are the artist's own handwritten annotations , which serve as instructions for a later work (probably an oil painting or engraving).

• "Ojo que cau d'aquest sang" (Eye that falls on this side).

• "Portar la creu més a la dreta" (Carry the cross further to the right): A real-time compositional correction.

In addition, three rectangular stains of oxidized adhesive tape are observed (on the reverse and translucent on the front), evidence that this drawing was hung or fixed in the painter's studio as a work reference.

WHY IS THIS PIECE AN OPPORTUNITY?

• Educational Value: This is a perfect piece for collectors who love the artistic "process." Seeing the master's doubts and corrections is a privilege that a finished work does not offer.

• Historical Testimony: It documents the state of the Plaza de las Vacas in Ávila at the beginning/mid of the 20th century, with figures dressed in period clothing and loose animals, providing local historical value.

• Authenticity: Signed "J. Rigol F." and hand-titled "AVILA / Plaça i Esglesia de les Vaques", which leaves no doubt about its authorship and location.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Author: Josep Rigol Fornaguera (1882–1958).

• Title / Subject: Notes on Ávila (Plaza and Church of the Cows).

• Year/Period: Circa 1920-1940.

• Technique and Support: Graphite pencil on sketch paper.

• Dimensions: 29 x 24.5 cm.

• Signature: Signed "J. Rigol F." in the lower right corner. Titled and located by the author in the lower margin.

• Condition: Fair/Historical. The paper has a natural tan tone due to age. There are three dark rectangular stains in the central area (caused by the oxidation of old adhesive tape on the reverse), which visually affect the image but confirm its use as workshop material. Irregular edges typical of a field notebook.

• Inspection Guarantee: 14-day money-back guarantee to inspect the work in person.

THE WORKSHOP NOTE

This work fascinates me because it's an "artist's kitchen." It wasn't meant to be sold, but to be used. The Catalan notes about a landscape of Ávila tell us about the painter's travels through Spain. The adhesive tape stains, far from bothering me, tell me that this paper was stuck to the wall of his studio while he was painting the final canvas. It's a piece of the painter's life.

Includes Collector's Dossier: This work is delivered accompanied by a technical sheet and historical context prepared and printed by El Taller del Coleccionista, certifying our research.