Montse Vives — "Vuit Bicicletes" — Mixed media on canvas

An original work by contemporary Catalan artist Montse Vives Roig. Through a distinctively panoramic format, this piece combines a palette of warm tones with continuous line drawing to capture the dynamism and everyday life of eight figures on bicycles.

The Stroke as Language

The visual core of this work lies in the synthesis of the drawing. The eight figures that make up the bicycles are rendered with a continuous, fluid black line, executed with a fluidity reminiscent of Oriental calligraphy. As detailed in the documentation accompanying the work, the artist uses "almost calligraphic strokes" to create "characters that are staged," born from the direct observation of everyday life. It is an exercise in geometric reduction where complexity is summarized in a single gesture.

Structure and Mixed Media

To contrast with the organic fluidity of the bicycles, the background is structured with a geometric grid. The support is worked with a mixed media technique that, according to the author's manifesto, usually integrates acrylic, watercolor, and India ink. This combination creates complex visual textures and luminous transparencies, using earth tones, yellows, and oranges that imbue the canvas with great atmospheric warmth.

Technical Data Sheet

• Artist: Montse Vives Roig.

• Title / Theme: "Vuit Bicicletes" (Everyday Scene / Synthetic Figurative).

• Technique and Support: Mixed media (acrylic, watercolor, and India ink) on original canvas.

• Dimensions: 41 x 92 cm.

• Signature and Inscriptions: Vertically signed ("M Vives") in the lower right corner of the front. On the back, it features printed text with her curriculum and the handwritten and signed certificate of authenticity.

• Provenance: Secondary art market. Private collection.

• Condition: Excellent. The canvas tension is correct, and the mixed pictorial layer shows no losses or discoloration, retaining the full intensity of its warm pigments.

• Inspection Guarantee: 30-day guaranteed return to inspect the work in person and verify its pictorial quality.

The Taller Note

Montse Vives approaches an everyday subject through a combination of colour and technical control. The rigid background, almost a wall of coloured bricks, contrasts with the lightness of the black bicycles that seem to float above it. The work is presented on a stretcher without glass, allowing the matte texture of the pigments to remain directly visible.